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' Why seek ye the living among the dead }"—Luke xxiv : s. 

[By i)ormission of Erastus Dow Palmer.] 



e»w 



<:3~- -^^ 



THE ALBANY 



RURAL ^ CEMETERY 



ITS 


BEAUTIES 


ITS 


MEMORIES 




^^ 


;y HHNRY p. PHELPS 




It 




ALBANY 


PHELPS AND KELLOGG 




AND CHICAGO 




1893 



\>s 



^"^ 



F 



A3Ts^ 



5tw copies 
printeil from type 



Copyn.y:ht. 1S92 
Bv HKNkv 1*. PiiKi.rs 



l*lioto>;raphy by l*iiic MarPoiiaUl, Albany 
Typogrnpliy and Prcsswork by Brnndow l^rintinj; Comimny, Albany 



ac:knowledgments. 



rl f IS hook is tlir D/i/i^mio/fi of a proposilioii on lite 
pari ot the Iriixtccx to piihlisli a brief liislorv of 
the .llhaiiy Cemetery A ssoei at ion, iiieliidiiiQa report 
of the eonseeration oration, poem and other exercises. 

It li'as snoocsted that it niioht be well to attempt son/e- 
thino- more worthy of the object than a mere pamphlet, 
and this has been done with a result that must spealc 
for itself. 

Jl'h/le it would be impi-aclicable to mention here all who 
have kindly aided in the zvork, the author desi/'cs to 
express his particular oblioations : 

To Mr. Dudley Olcott. Mr. Erastus D. Palmer, and .Mr. 
Abraham I 'an I'cchten, of the board of trustees, for the 
interest they have manifested and the enconraoement they 
have given. 

To Supt. Jeffrey P. Thomas and Mr. John F. Shafer 
for their valuable assistance. 

To the Brandoiv Printino- Company for the character- 
istic care they have bestoiued upon the typography and the 
press-zvorh. 

And to Mr. Pirie Mac Donald, 7vlio, bringing to the 
project of illustration all the enthusiasm of an amateur, 
has been able to combine thereioith, not merely the acijuired 
skill of the professional, but that much rarer qualifica- 
tion, the gift of (esthetic intuition rohich is absolutely 
necessary to raise the camera from the plane of mechanics 
to the realm of art. 

HEXR J ' P. PHELPS. 

Brook side avenue, Meiiands, 
.4 1 baity, N. Y.. Dec. i, iS<)2. 



' For some we luved, the loveliest and the best 
That from his vintage rolling Time has prest, 

Have drunk their cup a round or two before, 
And one l)y one crept silently to rest." 

— Omar Kliayyiiiit. 



CONTENTS. 



Prelim iNAKv .... 

Historic Ai, .... 

Hon. D. U. Barnard's Oration 

DeSCRU'TIVE .... 

Tlie South Ixidjjc 
The Middle Ridire 
The North Ridye 

BlIiLIOGkAI'llV .... 

Index ..... 



Page 

i6 

31 
50 

92 

169 
200 

-'5 

2 I 7 



ILLUSl RATIONS. 



•• win Sri.k vc (lie Liviiiii' Amonii' the Dciul ?" I- "rontispit'cc 

I By permission of Erastus Dow Palmer. | 

Mnp (il the .\lli;in\ kui.il (\'nu'tiT\' . Paocs 12-13 

Page 

luistcin Enlranci' . . . . . . 16 

Tlie Soutlu'in (ialf ...... 24 

Mrail of Con.socration Lakr . . . . 32 

Lake Tawasentlia ...... 40 

Alfrctl liilliiiiis Si reel 46 

I From an old slcol cnj;ravin,y;. | 
" All tliosf fair orounds with hnisli heaulii's spread. 

Nature's sweet clmrms — \vc oi\c tluni tn tlic dead." 4*^ 

Poitrair of TTon. Daniel I). Barnartl . . 52 

I From an old lithograph.] 

On tlu' lour, west (d" Stimmit Riil^c . . 56 

Near Cvpress Walcr ..... 64 

Consecration Lake ...... ;o 

I\)rtrait of I\e\'. liartholoiiiew 1. Weleli. 1X13. . 72 

I From an old and faded ])hotogra|)h.J 

Portrait of I'honia^ W. ( )kon .... 76 

Poitrait of I'.r.isl tis ( oniino .... 80 
[From a photograph by Sieiry.] 

Tvasteni 1 .oilov and OlTiee ..... S6 

The Chai)el 88 

The Cascade ....... 90 



II,H>TK.\ I II INS. 

KacmK 
I'age 

Ivcliojon Coiisoliny Sorrow .... g6 

On Ravine Side Wa\' . . . . . .104 

\'an X'eehten . . . . . . 112 

Douuias L. W'liite 116 

("len. Sehuvler's Mununient . . . . 120 

'I'he Any^el of the Sepulehre . . . . .128 

[By permission of Erastus Dow Palmer.] 

( iililiiin^-Mather . . . . . . 134 

The l\oot I~amil\- \'auh . . . . .138 

\Vec(l-.\l(len-l)arnes ..... 140 

\'an Alst\ne . . . . . . .142 

Masonie Buiial I'lat ...... 143 

(ieorii'e C Cook . . . . . . .144 

Daniel Mannintj . . . . . 146 

n. W. Wooster 150 

Western Lodge . . 152 

The Angel of Soiiow . . . . . .154 

Dver Lathi'ci|) ....... 162 

Wilhain Appletoii . . . ■ . 166 

Townsenel ....... 170 

Thomas W. Oleott ...... 

Amasa J. Parker ...... 

Dr. S. B. Ward 184 

Jesse C. Potts ....... 192 

John \'. L. Pru\ n ...... 196 

Tlie Soldiers' Plat 205 

The Mills Monunicni ..... 208 

The \isselier \ aidl . . . . . . 210 



77 



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The Eastern Entrance. 

[From the Troy road.] 



- >/fM^^^ "^-^ 




PRELIMINARY. 

nPHE custom of reverently caring for the remains of the 
dead, and for the places of their burial, has its 
oriyin deep down among the fundamental principles by 
which human affairs are regulated. 

As natural as the love of life itself is the desire to be 
remembered — at least, as Hamlet, with melancholv sar- 
casm observes, 

" for half a 3-ear ! " 

Few of us expect our names will outlive centuries : 
thousands upon thousands care little for epitaph, or monu- 
ment or posthumous fame of any degree ; but he must 
be something more or less than human who is not made 
a little happier 1)V the belief, that so long as those he loves 
survive him, his grave will not be wholly forsaken or 
neglected. 

Thus it is that the powerful motive of self-love prompts, 
in some degree, the regard which is generally felt for places 
of sepulchre, and the liberality with which they are embel- 
lished and maintained. 

Another feeling more creditable to human nature, 
because less selfish, leads us to hold the graves of our 



l8 Till-'. AI.UANV KIKAI. CKM K TKRV. 

loved (incs in such alTrrlioii and ivNTrencc as we hcstow 
u|u)n no other sj)ot on rarlh. 

Uur l)irtli-placcs, tlic honu-s of our cliiKlhooii, the 
scenes of carl\- pleasures and eaih' soiniws. phKcs en- 
(.leared in later life liv wliat we ha\e enjoxed. or made 
sacred l>\- what we have suffered — all have their own 
pecuhar associations, luit mme are so deep, so tender or 
so lasting, as those which cluster arounti the resting-places 
of oiu' dead. 

\'ain is the attempt to reason this sentiment out of 
existence. It is as oKl a^ the race: it has its hirtli in 
the atYeclions ; it has been nurtured \)v the ])oets of all 
ages, and sanctioned hv every lelioion worthv of the name. 

iMom time immemorial, also, it has been an incentive 
to iKitiiotism, and next to 

"God and your native land," 

has been ranged 

" tlie green graves of your sires," 

as a thought with which to strengthen the arm anil nerve 
the heart against the invader of the soil. 

Ot course, we know that what isde[iosited in theorave 
with such loving care is onl\- 

" an empty sea shell — one 



Out of whicli the pearl is gone ; " 

that the spirit has lied to (ioil. who gave it ; we know 
that what remains sium becomes terribl\- liie reverse of 
all that is lovely and attractive — that Mother Earth, in 
her great and abiding tenderness, hides from us what 
otherwisi' would freeze oin- souls with horror. 



P.KIIKl- IX Tin: RESURRECTIOX. I9 

And 3'et, what mother can thus he ars^ued from her 
darling's grave ? She will say with Lowell : 

"Your logic, my friend, is perfect, 
Your morals most drearily true; 
But, since the earth clashed on he?- coffin, 
I keep hearing that, and not you. 

There's a narrow ridge in the churchyard. 
Would scarce stay a child in his race. 
But to me and my thought it is wider 
Than the star sown vague of space." 



•' I believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life 
everlasting. " 

The sentence falls dailv from the lips of millions, 
often, ])erha])s. wit hoiit thought of its real significance, hut 
it e.\|)resses the intellectual lielief and spiritual expectation 
of a \-ast number who thus avow their creed antl their 
religion. And it is not surprising that to those who 
accept the literal meaning of the words, the place where 
reposes the clay which is to be " raised a spiritual hodv," 
should possess a peculiarly sacred character ; nor that, in 
spite of the philosophical and sanitarv claims of crema- 
tion as a means of disposing of the dead, the ]M'aetice has 
thus far gained little favor among those who believe in a 
future for the human bodv. And it is not merelv a 
coincidence that those who express a desire to become 
subjects for incineration are almost without exception 
those who have " outgrown " the belief that anything awaits 
the body of a human being other than that which awaits 
the bodv of a beast. 



^O THE Al.KAXN KL'KAl, CEM KTERV. 

V/'ERV carl\- in the history of the race did this sentiment 
lead to the estal)lishment of what we now call ceme- 
teries — how earlw we do not know. Of the hurial of 
our first parents, Adam and ll\e, there is no authentic 
account, although tradition, with an eve to poetical effect, 
places the toml) of Adam upon Calvarv. As to what 
was done with the lioth' of the murderetl Ahel. the sacred 
record is silent. Cain huilt a citv, hut what became of 
its dead we can only surmise; and whethei' the Hood 
swept away sepulchres as well as hahitations is also left to 
our imagination. 

'["he first hurial-place of which there is mention in the 
Bible is the eaxe of Maehpelah, which was bought i)y 
Abraham in which lo l)ur\- Sarah, the wife of his bosom, 
dead at the age of 127. She died in Kirjalh-arba, "the 
same is Hebron, in the land of Canaan ; and Abraham 
came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her." Alone 
and among strangers, the stricken [latriareh asked of the 
sons of Heth possession of a bur\ing-place among them 
"that I may bury my dead out of mv sight." In v.nn diil 
the sons of Heth offer him choice of their sepulchres ; 
Abraham wanted a place of his own. and selected the 
cave of Maehpelah, which was at the end of the field 
belonging to Ephron the Ilittite. And Ephron ofTered 
both Held anil cave to Abraham, but he would not 
accept the gift. So Ephron fixed the price at 400 shekels 
of silver which Abraham weighed to Ephron, "curnnt 
mone\- with the merchant." 



THE FIRST RURAL CEMETERY. 21 

"And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, 
whicli was before Mamre, the field and the cave 
which was therein, and all the trees that were in the 
field, that were in all the borders round about, were 
made sure 

" Unto Abraham for a possession, in the presence of 
the children of Heth, before all that went in at the 
gate of his city. 

"And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the 
cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre ; the 
same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. 

"And the field, and the cave that is therein, were 
made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a bur\'- 
ing-place b\- the sons of Heth. " 

Further on wc read that Sarah's son Isaac, l)cino- "com- 
forted after Ills mother's death," in the love he felt for his 
wife Rebekah, whom he hrouoht into his mother's tent ; 
and after Aiiraham, alreadv stricken in vears, had taken 
another wife, Keturah, hv whom he had si.K sons, Abraham 
oavc tip the o:host and was yathered to his people. 

" And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the 
cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of 
Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre : 

" The field wliich Abraliam purchased of the sons of 
Heth : there was Abraham buried and Sarah liis wife. " 

Thus, with curious attention to detail, is given the 
account of the purchase and establishment of this most 
famous of early cemeteries in which, surrounded bv " all 
the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders, 
round about," rested not only Al)raham and Sarah, but 
afterwards Isaac and Rebekah, and where later, as |acob 



22 rilF. ALllANV RLRAL ( KMETHRV. 

said on his deathbed, " I luiried Leah" ( I-Jachel. his best 
beloved wife dying in childbirth and beinu" buried in the 
wav to Ephrath, where Jacob set a pillar on her orrave). 
r'inaily, at his own solemn request, Jacob, third in this 
a^reat trio of patriarchs, was buried there, his embalmed 
body bcintj carried up out of Goshen accompanied bv all the 
servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the 
elders of the land o{ Egypt, with chariots and horsemen, 
a very great com|)anv. 
It was a famous funeral. 



Notwithstanding this precedent, the descendants of 
Israel can not be charged with ostentation in their care for 
the dead, but tiiey have always had public burial grounds, 
and one of their tirst duties on arriving in a new countr\' 
was to select a sjiot for such i)ur|)ose outside the cit\" walls. 
That of Jerusalem was in the vallev of Kcdron. 

The Greeks originalh' had burial places, but ailopted 
from Phr\-gia tiie custom of burning the dead. The 
Romans practiced both burial and cremation. The ancient 
Egyptians provided for themselves tombs of great magnifi- 
cence, in which bodies were deposited after thev had been 
embalmed, often after they had been kept for months in 
the house ot which the deceased had been an inmate. 



The word Cemeterv : How man\' of us stop to think 
what it signifies ? How manv of us realize, as did Chrvsos- 
tom, that the ver\' name, springing from the Greek word 
meaning " a sleej)ing place," carries with it always an em- 



WHAT ITli: WdRD CF.MKTKK\- SICXIITES. 23 

budinicnl ul tlie Christian hope ? " For this reason the jjlace 
is callcda cemetery," said the ( 1« )hlen-ni( >ul hed Bisho}), of the 
seventli ci-nlurw "in order lliat you mav learn that those 
who ha\e linisiietl their course and are htid here, are not 
dead hut ' sleep.' " 

It is said ( althouuii the authorities do not ao;ree)that 
the early Chiistians lirst erected their churches upon plots of 
ijround where were interred the remains of the holy mar- 
tyrs, and thus it is surmised ijrew up the custom of burial 
in church-yards, and in the churches themselves. The 
church, derivino- a considerable income in the middle aijes 
from liLuials, inculcated the importance of hinti' in conse- 
crated ground of which the church had control. 

As <rreat cities yrew old, as one si'eneration after another 
passed away ami was laid within closely conhned limits the 
natural consequence resulted. The o^roimd was over- 
burdened and over-charged with a surplus of mortality. 

In London fifty years ago the condition of the church- 
yards was scandalous to a degree that justified investiga- 
tion by a parliamentary committee. We are told: 

"The vaults undL-r the pavements of tlie churches, and the small 
spaces (if open ground surrounding them, were literally crammed 
with cotfins. In many of the buildings the air was so tainted with 
the products of corruption as to be a direct and palpable source of 
disease and death to those who frequented them. In the church- 
yards coffins were placed tier above tier in the graves until they 
were within a few feet (or sometimes even a few inches) of the sur- 
face, and the level of the ground was often raised to the level of 
the lower windows of the church. To make room for fresh inter- 
ments the se.xtons had recourse to the surreptitious removal of 
bones and partially decayed remains, and in some cases the con- 
tents of the graves were systematically transferred to pits adjacent 



24 THE ALBANY KLKAL CEMKTERV. 

to the site, the grave-diggers ajipropriating the coffin plates, 
handles and nails to be sold as waste metal." 

These shameful al)uses were finalh' eorreeted hv tlie 
Burial aet of i S55, In- which the London eluueh-\ar<ls, 
with tew e.xceptiuns, were elosed, and hinials within the 
limits of Ensjlish cities and towns are now \irtuallv i)ro- 
hihited, or surrounded with such safe<i;uards as to make a 
repetition of such conditions impossihle. 

What seems with us a natural riyht of every indi\idual 
to six feet of oround is not regarded in some of the coun- 
tries of continental Europe. For instance : In one of the 
Naples cemeteries numerous burials are said to take place 
daily in a series of 365 pits. One pit is opened each dav, 
the dead are laid in it, and it is filled with earth and lime. 
A year afterward the pit is opened, the contents removed, 
fresh earth is placed in its stead and the pit is readv for fresh 
interments, to be disposed of in the same way a year later. 
The subjects of such hasty treatment are, of course, the 
poor, and in Paris, although the time the same unfortu- 
nate class are permitted to rest undisturbetl is longer 
(five years), at its close all crosses and memorials are 
removed, the level of the ground is raised four or five feet 
by fresh earth and interments begin again. For fiftv francs 
a concession temporaire for ten vears can be obtained, but 
unless a lot is bought and paid for, no permanent monu- 
ment can be erected. 

In Turkey, on the contrary, it is considered sacrilege to 
disturb the dead ; hence a new grave is always opened for 
every corpse, and the cemeteries around Constantinople 



^Mf A 




The Southern Gate. 

[Menands road.] 



CEMKTERIES IN TURKEY. 25 

and otluT larsje cities in tliat country, have l)cconie very 
extensive. The practice of planting by the grave of every 
Mussuhnan a cypress has also converted them into dense 
forests. 

A recent writer, says: "The Turks enjoin the Jews, 
Greeks, Armenians and Franks to plant their cemeteries 
with other trees, hut reserve the cypress exclusively to 
themselves. The c\press has from early ages been a funeral 
tree. The ancient Greeks and Romans so considered it, antl 
the Turks, when they entered Europe, adopted it. Its 
solemn shade, casting 'a dim, religious light' over the 
tombs it covers ; its aromatic resin, exuding from the bark 
and correcting by its powerful odor the cadaverous smell 
exhaled from diss(.)lving mortalit\- ; antl above all, its ever- 
green and undying foliage, exhii)iting an emblem of the 
immortal part when the body has mouldered into dust and 
perished — all these have recommended it to the Mussul- 
man and made it the object of his peculiar care. It is an 
oriental practice to plant a tree at the birth and another at 
the death of any member of the family. When one, 
therefore, is deposited in the earth the surviving relatives 
place a cypress at the foot of the grave, and the pious son, 
whose birth his father had commemorated by a platanus, 
is now seen carefully watering the young tree which is to 
preserve the untiring reeollectit)n of his parent. 

"The cemetery of Scutari in Asia, at the mouth of the 
Bosphorus, is the most striking and extensive in the Turk- 
ish em]iire. It stretches uj) an inclined plane, clothing it 
with its dark foliage like a \'ast |)all thrown over the de- 



26 THE AI,):AXV KLRAL CEMETERY. 

j)arted. It extends near!}' four miles, and is pierced by 
various avenues. Such is its size that it is said the area it 
encloses would sujiph' the citv with corn, and the stones 
which mark its o;raves would rehuild the walls." 

The cemeterv of Pisa in Italv, called the Campo Santo, 
has o;iven the name to burial I'rounds throuyhout that 
country. It is a court 490x170 feet, surrounded by 
arcades of marble sixty feet hi^h, adorned with sculpture 
and paintings. In its centre is a mound of earth said to 
have been brought from Palestine during the crusades. 

The constituent assembly of France passed an act in 
1 791, prohibiting interments within the limits of cities. 
and in 1804 Pere Lachaise (then outside the citv of Paris) 
was authorized. It is considered the prototype of the 
garden cemeteries of Western Europe, and is one of the 
show places of the gay city, not only on account of the 
eminent dead who are buried within its 200 acres, but be- 
cause its hills and valleys are covered with every variety of 
memorial architecture, numbering in all some 16,000. 
Thomas Bailey Aldrich, in speaking of this and other sim- 
ilar cemeteries, says : 

•'A cemetery at home suggests awkward possibilities ; 
but nothing of the kind occurs to \"ou in rambling through 
a foreign burial ground. Vou wander along the serpen- 
tine walk as you stroll through a picture gallery. Vou as 
little think of adding a mound to the one as vou would of 
contributing a jjainting to the other. You survey the 
monoliths and the bas-reliefs, and the urns and the minia- 
ture Athenian temples from the stantl-jioint of an unbiased 



DANCiERS TO HEALTH EX ACiCERATED. 27 

spectator who has paid his ailniittance fee, and expects 
some entertainment or instructicjn. Some of the pleas- 
antest hours I passed in sight-seeino- were spent in grave- 
yards." 

While this feeling or want of feeling mav, in jiart, he 
due to the fact that the indifferent spectator has 

"no friend, no brother there," 
it is no doul)t promjitcd, in some degree, bv the spectacu- 
lar effects of these " garden cemeteries," an improvement 
on the crowded church-vards, but yet lacking the character- 
istics which make the rural cemeteries of America the most 
appropriate of all places wherein the dead await the 
resurrection. 

The dangers to health that mav arise from cemeteries is 
a theme much dwelt u])on by some writers, sensational and 
otherwise, but the general oj^inion is, that perils from this 
source have been greatly over-rated. They are alleged to 
spring from three sources : Air pollution from gases gener- 
ated by decaying animal matter ; water pollution from 
diainage into wells and other sources of supplv, and in- 
fection in case of the r -opening of graves of those who 
had died of contagions diseases. There are no facts at 
hand to show that where cemeteries have been well kept, 
any such trouble has resulted. The earth itself is a won- 
derful purifier, ami while caution is always desirable and 
necessary, particularh" in relation to the iun-it\- of a pota- 
ble water supply, the dangers from a well-ordered ceme- 
tery are so remote as to be considered almost wholly 
imaginar}^ 



28 THE ALllA.W RLKAI. CEM ETKRV. 

JV the LMitli were to last forever or had always existed 
in its i)resent eomlition ; if, as Goethe has ]iointed out, 
there were no law to prevent trees from yrowiny' into the 
skv ; if there were no olaeial periods, no sun sjxjts, no 
overturning; of the i^eneral order, we could imagine the 
world itself hecominc;' in time — or rather in eternitv — one 
great cemetery, and all the dust upon its bosom to have 
been animated with human life. The poets have found 
this a favorite idea, as witness Omar Khayyam, the astron- 
omer poet of Persia, sjieaking through his interpreter 
F^dward Fitzgerald (or z'/trc versa, as some believe): 

" I sometimes think that never blows so red 
The rose as where some buried Caesar bled ; 

That every hyacinth the garden wears 
Dropt in her lap from some once lovely head. 

" And this revivinsj herb whose tender green 
Fledges the river-lip on which we lean — 

Ah, lean upon it lightly! for who knows 
From what once lovely lip it springs unseen? 

■' Then to the lip of this poor earthen urn 
I lean'd, the secret of my life to learn : 

And lip t(.) lip it miirmur'd — 'While you live. 
Drink 1 — for, once dead, you never shall return.' 

" I think the vessel, that with fugitive 
Articulation answer'd, once did live. 

And drink; and ah! the passive lip I kiss'd, 
How many kisses might it take — and give! 

" For I remember stopping by the way 
To watch a potter thumping iiis wet clay: 

And with its all-obliterated tongue 
It murmur'd — 'Gently, brother, gently, pray!' 



r.RVAxrs " 'I iiAXATorsis. 29 

" Listen — a moment listen! — Of the same 

Poor earth from u'hich that human whisper came 
The hickless mould in which mankind was cast 
They did compose, and call'd him by the name. 

" And not a drop that from our cups we throw 
For earth to drink of, but may steal below 

To quench the fire of anguish in some eye 
There hidden — far beneath, and long ago." 

Eight centuries later the voting author of "Thana- 
topsis," who })rol)ahlv liacl never heard of Omar, made 
mucii the same thought the keynote of sidiUme contem- 
plation: 

" The hills. 

Rock-ribbed, and ancient as the sun; the vales 

Stretching in pensive quietness between ; 

The venerable woods; rivers that move 

In mystery, and the complaining brooks, 

That make the meadows green; and, poured round all, 

Old ocean's gray and melancholy waste, — 

Are but the solemn decorations all 

Of the great tomb of man! 

" The golden sun, 
The planets, all the infinite host of heaven. 
Are shining on the sad abodes of death. 
Through the still lapse of ages. All that tread 
The globe are but a handful to the tribes 
That slumber in its bosom. 

" Take the wings 
Of morning, traverse Barca's desert sands, 
Or lose thyself in the continuous woods 
Where rolls the Oregon, and hears no sound 
Save its own dashings, — yet the dead are there! 
And millions in those solitudes, since first 
The flight of years began, have laid them down 
In their last sleep, — the dead reign there alone! " 



HISTORICAL. 

npHPL old year. 1S40, was dying on the night ( Decem- 
her 31 ) that a meeting of the citizens of Albany was 
held in the Young Men's Association rooms, in the Ex- 
change building, corner of State street and Broadwav, on 
the site of the present post-ofiFice. to take into considera- 
tion the |)ropriety and importance of purchasing a plat 
of ground tor a new ])ublic cemeterv. 

It had been a good year for Alliany, during which there 
had been both a hopeful feeling and substantial progress, 
as was the case in the succeeding years when the project 
was agitated till it became an established fact. The 
importance of the citv as a shipping centre was receiving 
attention. The year in which the Cemetery was dedicated 
47 steamboats, 65 tow-boats, 245 schooners and 411 sloops 
plied in and out of the port of Albany. The Mohawk 
& Hudson railway, despite the active opposition of the 
stage coach line to Schenectady (which some days carried 
from 200 to nearly 300 passengers) was a pronounced 
success ; tiie Western railroad had opened the way to 
Boston, and also formed a winter route to New York 
via Hartford and New Haven, capable of traverse in 32 



32 THE ALBANY RUKAI. CKMETKKV. 

hours without nis^iit tra\cl ; 250 brick liuihhngs from two 
to live stoiics liiii'h were crrcted in one \"ear ; tlie old 
South Market had giwii wav to the present Steaml)oat 
hindino- ; Stanwi.x hall was opened as a hotel ; the Delavan 
was under way ; there were 28 churches and lour more 
building. Altogether the city of 35,000 inhabitants was 
vital with enterprise anil enthusiasm. 

The living were doing well enough ; it was time to 
think of the dead. Reform, or at least, progress in 
mortuar\- affairs was the order of the dav. A'erv likelv 
the attention jiaid to the subject in I£ngland about this 
time had something to do with arousing public interest 
in the United States. Boston had taken the lead 
in 1831 bv the consecration at Cambridge of "Sweet 
Auburn ;" Green-Wood, near Brooklyn, was incorjjorated, 
but not vet opened ; S])ring Grove, Cincinnati, one of the 
largest and most j)ictures(|ue cemeteries in the United 
States, was opened in 1845. ^'i 1 S46 the list of Rural 
cemeteries in this countrv also included Laurel Mill, 
Philadelphia: (^een Mount, Baltimore; Mount Hope, 
Rochester, and cemeteries at Salem and Springfield, Mass. 
In December, 1840, Rev. Bartholomew T. Welch, 
D. D., pastor of what was known as the iV-arl street, and 
now as the Emmanuel Baptist church, preached a sermon 
in which the necessity for better accommodations in this 
respect was clearly set forth. 

For 150 years the city's dead had found no abiding rest. 
The first interments were matle near t)ld Fort Orange, in 
the vicinitN' of the itresent steamboat square. Then 



■■■■■:- -^v^^p^^t^m 




At the Head of Consecration Lake. 



ol.l) ALBANY BURIAL PLAfES. 33 

followinu- the church edifice, the dead were buried at the 
juncture of State street and Broadwav. Later the pojni- 
hu- phicc of interment was l>ct\veen Beaver and Hudson 
streets, around the Middle Dutch church (hetween Pearl 
and Green ), where the dead were packed in a manner 
wholly inexcusable. From 1722 to 1759 the records ijive 
a list of 1,759 I'l-irials here, antl it is said that the coffins, 
closely compacted side bv side, lav one above another, 
three deep. Aliout 1789 the jilace was abandoned, and a 
burial lot established west of Eaa^le, south of State. For 
over a centurv the T,utherans buried their dead west of 
South Pearl street where now stands the City iiuildiny and 
Proctor's Albany theatre; the First Presbyterian church 
had a burial ground on a plat bounded i)v Hudson, Grand, 
William and Beaver streets, and there were or had been 
other places of interment in various parts of the city, 
includiny- the Colonic burial ground on Ten Broeck, 
between Second and Third streets, at this time in a most 
deplorable condition, coffins and bones being ex]iosed to 
view b\- reason of excavations near there. The largest 
and most important cemetery, howe\-er, was west of Knox 
street, south of State, on ground now a part of Washing- 
ton park. This cemetery was opened in 1806, and was 
divided among the different religious denominations; but 
it was not adequate, and the movement started by the 
Rev. Dr. Welch was begun none too soon. His sermon 
was repeated December 27, bv request; the newspapers 
took up the subject and ga\e editorial notice of the meet- 
ing which, we learn from the Ai-ous files, was well 



34 



THE ALBANY Rl'KAI. CEMETKKV. 



attended. It was held pursuant to the following" eall : 
The eitizens of Alhanv are invited to attend a pulilie 
meetintj to l)e held at the Leeture room of the Vouny- 
Men's Assoeiation. in the Exchange, to-morrow (Thurs- 
day) evening', at seven o'elock, to take into eonsideration 
the projirietv and importance of ])urehasini[j a ])lat of 
ground for a new public cemeter)% on a plan similar to the 
cemeterv at Mount Aulmrn. All)anv, Decemlier 30, 1840. 



J. L. Rathhone, 
\V. 11 Sprague, 
Thos. W. Olcott, 
Elilui Russell, 
R. Forsyth, 
Lewis Benedict, 
Christopher Hepinstall, 
A. M. Strono-, 
James Kidd, 
Wm. Crapo, Jr., 
A. D. Patehin, 
Seth Hastings, 
J no. L. Schoolcraft, 
Saml. M. Woodruff, 
Rufus H. King, 
Geo. Dexter, 
S. Cobb, 
Salem Dutcher, 
James Tavlor, 
A. Marvin, 



J. N. Campbell, 

E. P. Prentice, 

John N. Wilder, 

Julius Rhoades, 

E. W. Skinner, 

Wm. Stead, 

John M. Newton, 

Wm. W. Forsvth, 

Wm. Fowler, 

Friend Humphrey & Co. 

W. W. Tredway, 

A. Crittenton, 

Clark Durant, 

Thurlow Weed, 

E. E. Kendrick, 

Moses Patten, 

Ellis Baker, 

Arch'd Campbell, 

Ira Harris, 

Abm. Stratton, 



SIGNERS OF THE CALL. 



.■>D 



i\,o;ur Wells, 
Theodore Olcott. 
John Gott, 
N. Bleccker, jr., 
Gregory & Co., 
H. R. Phelps, 
Peter Boyd, 
R. W. Peckham, 
Oliver Steele, 
Henrv Rawis, 
*John H. Boo;art, 
R. Shepherd, 
Wm. Watson, 
James Anderson, 
Galen BacheldtM', 
Daniel Powers, 
Isaac Hempsted, 
Rufus K. Viele, 
Ahram Pittinger, 
Wm. Adams, 
Lansing Prm n, 
Ralph Johnson, 
C. Ten Broeck, 
S. \\ Talcott, 
C B. Lansing, 
R. H. Pruvn, 
T. M. Burt, 
J. L. Hodge, 



Wm. G. Dey Ermand, 

John ^V. Ford, 
•'■S. O. Shepard, 

A. H. Root, 

James P. Boyd, 
■•C. M. Jenkins, 

Rich'd \"an Rensselaer, 

VV. A. W'harton, 

\V. S. & E. C. iMcIntosh, 
"••'A. \"an X'echten, 

W. Thorburn, 

A. R. Speer, 
Win. Nessle, 
Robt. Hunter, 
Wm. Watson, 
John \". S. flazard, 
Samuel Pratt, 
Peter Wendell, 
Wm. H. Fondey, 
Orlando Meads, 
Henry Bleeeker, 

J. C. Van Schoonhoven, 
Herman Wendell, 
S. \'an W'chten, 
AI. M. Van Alstyne, 

B. T. Welch, 

C. T. Francis, 
E. Croswell, 



* These only are known tn be living 



TMK ali;axv rural cemetery. 



I. N. Wvckoff, 
Thus. L. WiUard, 

A. Blair, 
Ct. M. Stevens, 
Geo. C. Merrifiekl, 
Wni. (\ Hall, 

B. P. Staats, 
John D. Hewson, 
N. Levings, 
John Knower, 
Frederick Yates, 
Gideon Hawley, 
E. R. Satterlee, 
Wni. P. Warner, 



Wm. E. Bleecker, 
Philip Phelps, 
Charles Van Benthuysen, 
Roht. Elliot, 
N. Northroi), 
F. Platto, 
Lvman Philleo, 
Hall & McClure, 
John T. Hall, 
James Goold, 
Chas. N. Bleecker, 
Thomas Wright, 
Daniel Peck, 
John T. Cooper, 
Jonah C. Bovnton. 



On motion of Lewis Benedict, Archibald Alclntyre 
was called to the chair; anil on motion of Bradford R. 
Wood, Ira Harris was appointed secretary. 

On motion of Tennis \'an \'cchten, the chair appointed 
as a committee to propose resolutions for the consideration 
of the meeting: Tennis Van Vechten, Amos Dean, Mar- 
cus T. Reynolds, Thomas W. Olcott, Gerrit V. Lansing 
and Lewis Benedict. The committee having retired, 
reported the following resolutions which, on motion of 
Rev. Dr. Potter, seconded hy Rew Dr. Wvckoff, were 
unanimously adopted : 

Whereas, a settled conviction has been for some time entertained 
on the part of the citizens of Alban}-, that the places at present in 
use for the interment of the dead are, from the nature of the soil. 



THE l'kELIMI\AR\' MEETI.XC. 37 

disadvantageous situation, and for other reasons, wholly inadequate 
to answer fully the purposes such places should be designed to 
accomplish ; Therefore, 

Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting, suitable measures 
should be immediately taken to procure and properly piepare 
grounds for a new cemetery somewhere in the vicinity of the city 
of Albany. 

Resolved, That among the indications of an enlightened age, we 
hail with peculiar pleasure the attempts so successfully made and 
making to accomplish through the repose of the dead, high moral 
purposes beneficial to the living, and that we cordially unite in the 
earnest hope that the citizens of Albany may feel deeply and effect- 
ively all the advantages derived from this solemn and interesting 
source of pure and true instruction. 

Resolved, That with a view to the accomplishment of such pur- 
poses, a location for a cemetery should be selected having grounds 
sufficiently extensive for that purpose; so elevated as to afford a 
bold and enlivening prospect ; possessing a proper soil, and present- 
ing facilities that will enable Art to remedy whatever Nature may 
have left defective, and to invest with attractive beauties, and with 
life's stirring activities, the ever hallowed homes where repose in 
silence and in solitude the ashes of son and sire, of those who have 
been the subject of parental solicitude, of filial respect, of paternal 
regard and of conjugal affection. 

Resolved, That a committee be appointed whose special duty it 
shall be to ascertain whether a suitable place for a cemetery can be 
obtained in the vicinity of Albany, and upon what terms; what 
probable expense would be incurred in fitting it for that purpose; 
to suggest some plan or principle of organization which, in their 
judgment, will be the best calculated to carry fully into effect the 
measures that may be adopted, and that said committee make their 
report to a meeting to convene on this subject at some future time. 

On motion of Rc\-. Dr. Welch, the numhcr of the com- 
mittee was h.xed at thirteen ; and the chair named the fol- 
iowiny- oentlemen : 

B. T. Welch, Stei)hen \'an Rensselaer, J jhn A Di.\, 



38 THE ALUANV RURAL CEMETERY. 

Juhn O. Wilson, James Horner, Anthony M. Stronij, 
Peter Gansevoort, Thomas W. Olcott, Ezra P. Prentice, 
John I. Wendell, Ellis Baker, Ira Harris, Otis Allen. 

After remarks by Rev. Dr. Potter and Re\'. Dr. Wyekoff 
the meetint); adjourned to the call of the committee. 

There is no further record in the ne\vspa|)ers of their 
proceedings, l)ut it is evident that the preliminary steps 
were taken without delay, for the Albany Cemetery Asso- 
ciation was incorporated, by act of the lefjislaturc, April 
2, 1841. 

The search for eligible sites was conductetl with much 
care and with excellent judgment. Among those con- 
sidered was the elevated land east of Greenbush, a most 
sightlv and commanding situation which, if selected for 
tnis purpose, would ever have kept in view, if not in 
thought of resident Ali)anians their final resting j)lace. 
The bill before the legislature was originally drafted so as 
to admit of such a choice, but the great bridge light was 
on that winter, Albanv contesting for, and Trov against, 
what finallv proved neither to help the one, nor injure the 
other ; and as it was feared the cemetery project might be 
compromised bv such a provision, the Greenbusii clause 
was stricken out with the consent of all parties, and the 
bill becamea !aw(chaj)ter 115, Laws of 1S41). It names 
as the incorporators, Archibald Mclntvre, B. T. Welch, 
Stephen \'an Rensselaer, John A. Di.\, John O. Wilson, 
James Hornei-, Anthony M. Strong, Peter Gansevoort, 
Thomas W. ()lcott, Ezra P. Prentice, John 1. Wendell, 
Ellis Baker, ami Ira Harris. The association was origin- 



THE CONSECRATION. 



39 



ally allowed to hold 200 acres (afterward, i86g, increased 
to 500). 

Three years passed hy. ^^'hat caused the delay does not 
now appear, but the 20th of April, 1S44, is the date on 
which the site was fniall\- selected. The ne.xt public an- 
nouncements were the followini^r notices in the newspapers : 

Albany Cemetery. 

The trustees respectfully apprize the citizens of Albany that the 
beautiful grounds recently purchased for the Albany Cemetery, are 
nearly prepared for consecration, and will be dedicated to God and 
the repose of the dead, on Monday, October 7, at 2 p. m. Oration 
by Hon. D. D. Barnard. His E.xcellency the Governor, and state 
officers, his Honor the Mayor, and Corporation, the Young 
Men's Association, the Military, the Fire Department, the various 
Civic and Benevolent associations, and citizens generally, are 
cordially invited to participate in the interesting services of the 
occasion. The citizens of neighboring towns and cities who feel 
an interest in the object contemplated are respectfully invited to 
unite in the consecration. 

A beautiful design of an appropriate gate by Messrs. Kirkwood 
& Adams, may be e.xamined at the bookstore of Weare C. Little 
& Co., State street. 

B. T. Welch, / 



September 25, 1844. 



T. \y. 01.C0TT, s (^^"">"'ff"- 



Albany Ck.metery. 

The Committee beg to renew their cordial invitation to all our 
citizens indiscriminately, to unite in the services of consecration. 
Gen. King will officiate as Marshal, and will announce the arrange- 
ments for the Military, the different Societies, Governor, Senators, 
State Officers, etc., etc. 

The Trustees of the Cemetery, tiie Rev. Clergy of all denomina- 
tions, the gentlemen who will deliver the address and the poem, 



40 Till', All'.AXV KIRAI. CKM KT KK V. 

and all the i-ditors of the cit\' press, are requested to meet at the 
Albany Female academ)- at lo o'clock, Monday morning. 

The request is particularly extended to the ladies and gentlemen 
of the choir, wlm. judoing from the number at rehearsal, will 
exceed 300. 

The procession will move at 10 a. ,m., and services mav be ex- 
pected to commence on the ground at about 12 o'clock. Tliere 
will be a postponement to the first fair day if the weather is unfavor- 
able on Monday. 

B. T. Welch, | „ 
T. \V. Oi.coi r, ) 



CONSKCRATION OK THE Al.IiANV CeMETERV. 



ORDER OK THE PROCESSION. 

The following order is published for the information and govern- 
ment of the several Military Companies, Civic Societies and Asso- 
ciations who propose to unite in the ceremonies of the day. 

The Military Companies under their respective officers, will form 
in Broadway betw'een Maiden Lane and Exchange street, the right 
resting on Maiden Lane. The Fire Department will assemble on 
North Pearl street, and will be drawn up against the eastern side- 
walk, with their right at State street corner. The various Civic 
and Benevolent Societies and Associations will assemble in State 
street, on the north side with the right at the corner of North 
Pearl street. The invited guests will assemble at the Female 
academy in North Pearl street. 

The procession will be put in motion at 10 o'clock precisely, and 
the different Military Companies and Civic Associations are requested 
to be at their respective places of rendezvous at half-past 9 o'clock 
at the latest. 

The procession will be formed in the following order: 




Lake Tawasentha. 



ORDKR ()|.- I'KOCESSKlX. 41 

The Albany Reiiublican Artillery. 
The Van Rensselaer Guards. 
The Emmet Guards. 
The Washington Rifle Corps. 
Military and Civic Associatio?is. 
Officers of the U. S. Army and Navy and Military Associations. 
Orator of the Day. 
Revolutionary Officers and Soldiers in Carriages. 
The Rev. Clergy. 
The Executive of State. 
The Common Council preceded by its Officers, 

Sheriff and his Officers. 

Heads of Departments of State, Chancellor. 

Court of Errors, Judgesof U. S., State and County Courts, preceded by their 

Marshals. 

The Albany Burgesses Corps. 

The Fire Department in the usual order. 

St. Andrews Society. 

Mechanics Benefit Society. 

Hibernian Provident Society. 

Hibernian Benevolent Burial Society. 

Hibernian Benevolent Society. 

St. Patrick's Society. 

Shamrock Society. 

Montgomery Benevolent Society. 

Montgomery Beneficial Society. 

The Odd Fellows' Associations. 

The Temperance Societies. 

Citizens and Strangers. 

Any associaticins not named above will have a ])lace assigned to 
them ill the procession on signifying to the Marshal tlieir desire to 
unite in the ceremonies of tlie consecration. 

The procession will move through State, North Pearl, and 

Patroon streets to Broadway, tip Broadway to the northern bounds 

oi the city, and thence along the Troy road to the grounds designed 

for the Cemetery. 

RuFus King, Mars/mi. 
Albanv, October 4, 1844. 



Till'. Al.DANV KL'RAI, (F.M KTKKV, 



nnilR onlv account extant of the consecration is that 
published in the AWrdny jl r£ us, October 8, and repub- 
lished the same dav in the Alban\' Journal. It is as 
follows : 

The ceremonial of the consecration of the grounds 
selected l)v the Albany Cemetery Association, for a 
general place of burial, took place vcsterdav, agreeably to 
the published airangcments. 1 lie civic antl religious cere- 
monies were all appropriate, impressive, happilv conceived 
and most happih' carried out b\' the gentlemen to whose 
hands the dut\' was contkled, antl were in admirable adapta- 
tion to an occasion which will be memorable in the historv 
of our ancient but steadilv advancing metropolis. 

The ver\' great concourse of citizens who visited the 
grounds on the occasion — the large number of ladies — 
the general turnout of militar\' comjianies, firemen and 
civic associations — were in themscKes enct)uraging indica- 
tions of the general interest felt in the success of this 
important undertaking — and, we are sure, ma\' be regarded 
as an earnest of a determination among all sects and 
classes of our citizens to unite cordialh" in carrving out to 
a successful issue, one of the greatest public enterinises of 
which our citv can boast. 

Our sketch of the ceremonies on the occasion, which 
terminated at half-past three o'clock yesterday afternoon, 
must necessarily he hurried and meagre — and we have to 
regret that a matter of such high local interest to all 



THE CONSECRATION PA(;EANT. 43 

classes of our people, must nccessarilv receive l)ut a pass- 
incj notice. 

The procession formed in North Pearl street, in front of 
the l-\inale academy — (to which our citizens arc indebted 
tor the orioinal poems suny- on the occasion) — ehielh' in 
carriaues, under the escort of the All>an\- RepuMican 
Artiller\-, the \'an Rensselaer (iuartis, the Emmet Ciuards 
ami the Washington Riflemen, (a German corps) — jtre- 
ceded hy a fine band of music. The front carriaoes con- 
tained the ofificiatino- and resident Cleryv, the Orator and 
Poet, the Mayor and Common Council of the citv. Then 
followed a lonij train of carriajres, with ladies — and next, 
a very laro-e procession on foot — consisting: of the Albany 
Burgesses Corjis in uniform, with a band of music — 
Engine companies, numbers Two antl Imw, in uniform — 
Hook and Latlder com])an\-, numi)er One, in uniform, 
preceded by a lars^e and effective band from Providence, 
R. I. — next Engine company, number Seven, numerous, 
m citizens' dresses, uniform and appropriate, preceded by 
the Lothian band, (tiie unsurpassed band from the city of 
New York, numbering some twenty-one |)ieces) — Engine 
conijjany, number Nine, in uniform, and a large concourse 
of citizens. The ))rocession moved up Pearl street to 
Broadway, and through Broadway, l)\- the Troy road, to 
the grountls. Tliis fine road, before and during the j)as- 
sage ot the procession, was literallv lined with carriao-es 
and persons on foot, on their wav to the grounds, about 
three miles from the city. 

The duties of Marshal were well discharged bv Gen. 



44 TIIK ALBANY lU-RAI, ( KM KTF.RV. 

Rui'us Ktnc;, assisted 1)V several uentlenien. 

Dr. \Vi:i( 11 and 1. W. Olchit, Es(|., were the efficient 

committee of arrangement. 

The place selected and prepared for the eerenmnial, was 
in one of those secluded and beautiful spots with which 
the location abounds — being' a level but irregular space of 
about half an acre, enclosed on the south 1)\' an abrupt and 
thinly-wootlcd hill. ( )n the north, hills of a less elevation 
enclosed the area, and nearb' through the centre runs a 
clear stieam of water, which e\en at this season of the 
year, holds on its course, and is indeed perennial. Upon 
this area, were temporary seats, skirting the foot of the 
hill on the south, and admirably arranged all oyer it to 
command a \iew of the staging from which the speakers 
were to address the multitude. 

Long before the procession reached the ground, these 
seats were occupied — hundreds having i)reccded the train, 
and the larger portion of them ladies, and taken posses- 
sion. The scene presented, as the escort came up 
and opened for the passage of the procession, was inde- 
scribable. The solemn, dirge-like music — the heavy 
measured tread and gay uniform of the militar\- and fire- 
men — the oforffeous foliaue, which at this season distin- 
eruishes our rural scenery — the romantic wildness ol the 
place itself — and the large concourse assembled — all con- 
spired to giye to the scene an impressive and sublime 
character. 

The militar\-, firemen, ladies and citizens having taken 
the jKJsitions assigned them — and nothing could exceed 



TlIK CONSECKAIKiX IIVMN. 45 

the order and deeorum with whieh evervthing- was done — 
the fidl and rich harmonies of one of the best hands to 
which we ever hstened, gave jjlace to the vocal music from 
a choir of several hundred singers, who, under the lead of 
Mr. R. Paikari), sang in full chorus, the following h\mn, 
written hy Miss Sarah M( Doxald, of the Female 
Academy, to the tune of Rosseau's Dream: 

HYMN. 
Holy Father ! wilt thou hearken, 

To the songs we now would raise — 
Lowly, solemn would we have them, 

Breathing words of sweetest praise; 
Praise, that thou hast granted to us. 

This fair spot wherein to lay 
The loved forms of those whose spirits 

From our earth have passed away. 

Praise, that 'mid the leaves and blossoms. 

They may take their dreamless sleep ; 
Praise, that we, sad, weary mourners. 

Have a fitting place to weep: 
Here our feet shall love to linger. 

Here our hands delight to train 
Flowers that, though on graves they flourish. 

Will not bloom, nor fade in vain. 

For a floweret's faintest whisper, 

Of a better land doth speak — 
Of a land wiiere sorrow comes not, 

Where no tears course down the cheek 
And its dying accents murmur, 

Pine not, though fond ties are riven — 
For each flower on earth that fadeth. 

Fairer, brighter blooms in heav'n. 

Holy Father! wilt thou hearken. 

To the prayer we now would raise? 
Grant that when our days are numbered, 

We may join the songs of praise, 
Sung by saints and shining seraphs, 

Round thine everlasting throne — 
Grant that in those blissful mansions, 

We mav meet all — all our own. 



46 TlIK AlllANV RUKAI, (KMF.TERV. 

The Rev. Dr. I^)1ii,max came fonvaRl ami read 
from the 23d chapter of Genesis, commcncinu' at the 
2d verse. 

Then followed another hymn from the choir — which 
was ailmirably sunij to the tune with which all ears associ- 
ate the words, — 

■' I would not live alway, I ask not to stay." 

The Rev. Mr. Piiii.i.ii's then read from the 15th chapter 
ot the First Epistle tt) the Corinthians, commencing- at 
the 20th verse. 

The Consecratiny- I'rayer, hv the Rev. Dr. Si-racue, 
was hisjhly appropriate and impressive, and was listened to 
with reverent and profound attention. 

The following; Hymn, written li\- Miss A. D. \V(h)I)- 
BRiDGE, of the Female Academ\-, was then suns^ bv the 
choir: 



This hoh- ground beneatli our feet, 
These gently sloping hills above. 

These silent glades and valleys sweet, 
Shall be the home of those we love. 

Above their couch shall flow'rets bloom — 
Dear, precious flowers, that droop and die, 

'Tis fit that ye should wreathe the tomb. 
Where those we best have loved, shall lie. 

But they shall wake when o'er the earth 
Time's last receding wave shall roll; 

Shall share in an immortal birth. 

The changeless spring-time of the soul. 



AI.I-KKD B. street's POEM. 

Then let us learn to bear aright 

Life's weary weight of pain and care, 

Till, with our heavenly home in sight, 
This last and dreamless couch we share. 

Oh ! let us see thy glory here. 

Our Father! and we'll kiss the rod; 

We leave ourselves, and all most dear. 
With Thee, our Saviour and our God! 



47 




ALFRED BILLINGS STKEET. 
[From an old steel engraving.] 

The Poem, by A. B. Street, Esq., was i)n)n(mncL-d, as 
follows: — 

When life's last breath has family ebb'd away. 
And naught is left but cold unconscious clay, 
Still doth Affection bend in anguish deep. 
O'er the pale brow to fondly gaze and weep. 
What tho' the soul hath soar'd in chainless flight. 
Round the spurn'd frame still plays a sacred light, 
A hallow'd radiance never to depart, 
Pour'd from its solemn source, the stricken heart. 



48 THE ALr.AXV klRAI. (KM KIKR V. 

Not to the air should then be given the dead, 
Xot to the flame, nor yet cold ocean's bed, 
But to the earth — the earth from whence it rose, 
There should the frame be left to its repose. 

There the great Mother guards her holy trust, 
Spreads her green mantle o'er the sleeping dust; 
There glows the sunshine — there the branches wave. 
And birds yield song, flowers fragrance round the grave. 
There oft to hold communion do we stray. 
There droops our mourning memory when away, 
And e'en when years have pass'd, our homeward feet 
Seek first with eager haste that spot to greet. 
And the fond hope lives ever in our breast 
When death too claims us, theie our dust shall rest. 

All these fair grounds with lavish beauties spread. 

Nature's sweet charms — we give them to the dead; 

Those swelling uplands, whence the raptured sight 

Drinks in the landscape smiling rich and bright. 

Woodlands and meadows, trees and roofs and rills, 

The glittering river, and the fronting hills; 

That nestling dell, wdth bowery limbs o'erhead, 

And this its brother opening to the tread. 

Each with its naiad tripping low along, 

.Striving to hide, but freely offering song; 

Those old deep woods, where Nature wild and rude. 

Has built a throne for musing solitude. 

Where sunshine scarce finds way to shrub and moss. 

And lies the fractured trunk the earth across. 

These winding paths that lead the wandering feet, 

Through minster-aisles and arbors dim and sweet. 

To soothe thy discord into harmony, 

Oh solemn, solemn Death, we dedicate to thee. 

Here will his steps the mourning husband bend. 
With sympathising Nature for his friend; 
In the low murmur of the pine, he'll hear 
The voice that once was music to his ear; 




' All these fair grounds with lavish beauties spread, 
Nature's fair charms — we give them to the dead." 



ALFRED B. STREETS POEM. 49 

In the light waving of the bough, he'll view 

The form that sunshine once around him threw. 

As the reft mother threads each leafy bower, 

Her infant's looks will smile from every flower; 

Its laugh will echo in the warbling glee 

Of every bird that flits from tree to tree: 

In the dead trunk, laid prostrate by the storm, 

The child will see its perish'd parent's form; 

And in the sighing of the evening breath , 

Will hear those faltering tones late hush'd in death. 

Through these branch'd paths will Contemplation wind. 

And grave wise Nature's teachings on his mind; 

As the white grave-stones glimmer to his eye, 

A solemn voice will thrill him, " thou must die; " 

When Autumn's tints are glittering in the air. 

That voice will whisper to his soul " prepare; " 

When Winter's snows are spread o'er knoll and dell, 

"Oh this is death," that solemn voice will swell ; 

But when with Spring, streams leap and blossoms wave, 

" Hope, Christian, hope," 'twill say, " there's life beyond the grave." 

Music fdUowL-d fiom one of the haiuls on the yrmnid 
— a solemn, funereal strain — in harmony with the vein of 
sentiment which ran throui,Hi Mr. Streei's admirable 
poem. 




ADDRESS, 

BY THK 

Hon. D. D. BARNARD. 



'"puis, mv frifiuls, is an occasion and ceremony of most 
uncommon and affcctino- interest. We have sought out 
a pleasant habitation for the dead; and having chosen our 
around, and secured its possession, we come now to dedi- 
cate and devote it solemnly to their use forever. With 
appropriate ceremonies, with religious rites, with conse- 
crating prayer, we come now tt) set ai)art this ground to 
be their separate dwelling-i)lace as long as time shall last. 
The purchase is ours, the inheritance belongs to them. 
The living make the ac(|uisition, but only as a sacred trust; 
the dead shall possess it altogether. By significant legal 
forms it is alreadv "made sure for the possession of a 
burying-place; " and now bv <.ther forms, more signihcant 
and more sacreil. in a solemn asseniblv, liy solemn invoca- 
tion to men and angels as our witnesses, standing on the 
soil which we thus appropriate, beneath the spreading 
canopy of the listening Heavens, and in the awful pres- 
ence of God, we declare and jMonounce^in the name and 



IIOX. n. D. BARNARD S ADDRESS. 5I 

behalf of all, as authorized and required bv the part 
assiijned me in this ceremonial, I declare and pronounce — 
that henceforward, and for all time to come, this ground 
belongs not to the living, hut to the dead ! 

This, indeed, is, or mav be, a dedication to ourselves, as 
well as to others. Here we expect to l)ur\' our friends; 
and here we expect our friends will hurv us. In the 
impressive business of this day, we assist, in some sort, at 
our own obsequies. We choose, so far as the choice 
depends on ourselves, this field for our last resting place; 
and we anticipate the time when we shall make our bed in 
the dust ot this field. We set apart and consecrate here 
a place for ourselves, along with others; and we seem, in 
a mamiei', to "come aforehand to anoint our bodies to the 
burving." Our language is, "hurv us not in Egvpt; we 
will lie with our kindred;" and we make beforehand a 
becoming prepuation for our rejiose b\- the side of graves 
which, before us or after us, thev will occu]n'. Wherever 
death may overtake us, in an\- temporarv absence from the 
chosen citv of our abode, if such should be our lot, we 
anticipate that the last sigh of the sinkmg spirit will be — 
"Thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their 
burving-place." 

Hut bv whomsoever occu])ied, bv ourselves or others, or 
by others with ourselves, this ground must i)e in posses- 
sion of the ilead, and of the dead alone. The living can 
not occupy the earth exclusively — space must be yielded 
for the dead. As fast as we can count men die, and their 
bodies must rest somewhere in the ground — such, at least 



52 TIIK Al.i;.\NV Kl RAL l-EMKTKRV. 

as arr not consumed l)v fire, or swallowed up in the sea. 
Wherever the custom of inhumation j)revails, as it does 
amoncrst Christians, and ver\- extensively elsewhere, land 
must he appropriated for their use and occupation. 
Where it is not thus appropriated, and appropriated 
lilieralh', the dead are tlefrauded. Thev are entitled to 
their siiare of the earth, hv what seems an orifjinal and 
authoritatixe desiynation of the uses to whicii it should he 
sul)ject. "Thou shalt return unto the uround; for out of 
it wast thou taken." The liviny- must possess and suhdue 
the earth: hut a fair jjortion of it is the true inheritance 
of the ilead. 

From various causes they have not always had their just 
share of the land. Sometimes thev have heen sunk in 
deep waters. Sometimes thev have heen reduced to ashes 
l)v fire, that the reliques mi,<>"ht be kejtt without the neces- 
sitv of assitininy- to them much space for their preserva- 
tion. This was the custom of the Ixomans in some 
periods of their history, and was a ver\' ancient practice 
amonjj the Greeks. Sometimes they have l)ecn huddled 
together in harrows and cairns, or in ijrottoes and cata- 
comhs. The subterranean (piarries of Paris, have been 
made the receptacle of the remains of three millions of 
human beinys, and the eternal tramp of the thronp^ed city 
is above them. In Naples, at this day, the dead, out of 
number, are thrown in undistinguished heaps into vast 
charnel-pits. Oftentimes, where the practice of interments 
has prevailed, there has been a revolting haste in terminat- 
ing the tenancy of the body in the narrow strip of ground 



iU)K. II. II. ilAKNAKIi's AIIIIKKSS. 



which it has been aihiwed t(i occupy. It is often covered 
with consuminy- siihstances. And, without an\' factitious 
aids to hasten tleca\- and decomposition, in the cemetery 
of Pere la Chaise at Paris, by far the larger number of 
graves are held for the term of five and six \earsonly. At 
the end ol this brief period, new tenants come into pos- 
session. It is difficult to sav where the dead have received 

the greatest wronij; ; 
whether in practices of 
this sort, or in some 
customs of an opposite 
tendency. The super- 
stitions of the ancient 
E.<i\-l)tians led to an 
attemiit to preserve the 
liodiesof the dead from 
deca\-: and the state of 
the arts enabled them 
to succeetl. The dead 
of three thousand years 
ago are seen in our day. 
In another way the dead 
have been deprived of sepulture, b\- a practice the most 
absurd and revolting. In our own times, catlaveries may 
be seen, sometimes comi)rising many hundreds of desic- 
cated botlies, sitting in ghastiv mockery of life, dressed in 
gay attire, and tricked off with glittering ornaments, or 
bearing the symbols of earthly rank, authority, or com- 
mand! 




Hi IN. DANIEL I). KAKNAKl). 

[From a lithograph iu possessiun uf hi.s ilanirlitL-r 
Miss S. W. Bnniiud. iif Allmiiv.J 



54 Tin; Al.KANV RURAL CKMETKRV. 

In all these cases, and man\- more like them that mii^ht 
be atUerted to, it seems to me, a great wrong has been 
done — a wrong both to the dead and the living. " Dust 
thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." This is the 
decree, and is it not at once a doom and a i)romise? 
"Burv me" — that is the natural request of the dving, 
breathed with the last breath. "The earth is the mother of 
us all — and now that I must die, let me go back to mv 
mother. I wovdd not be burnetl. 1 would not, if it can 
be avoided, be cast into the sea. Above all, do not 
attempt, bv anv process, or for any object, to kee|i me 
long above ground, or accessible to the living, after 1 am 
dead. But bury me — lay me in the earth — if jjossible, on 
some retired and pleasant spot, and near to those whom I 
have loved in life — at anv rate, bur\- me, and let me thus 
return to the dust, out of which I was taken." This I say 
is natural. This is what men fcr/ while in life, and 
especialh- when thev come to die. It is sentiment, if you 
will; but, to m\' mind, it is better than a conclusion fountl 
by reasoning on the matter. Sentiment, gushing warm 
from the heart, is often l)etter and wiser than the cold 
deductions of our reason. Sentiment makes a |)art of us, 
just as the conscience does, and we should be wretched 
creatures enough without it. And, on this subject par- 
ticularlv, mere argumentation would be sadly out ot place. 
In truth, there is nothing in it to argue about, and every 
attemjit of the sort has ended, antl will alwavs end, in 
nothing better than crude speculation. When the heart is 
appealed to and not the understanding, on matters in which 



HON. I). 1). BARXAKDS ADDRESS. 55 

sentiment and the feeliniis deeide — like those in whieh the 
conscience decides — there is Httie difference lietween the 
wisdom of one man and the wisdom of ant)ther. Here 
men are l)rouoht very near the same level, as thev are in 
the grave. All the sneers of the cvnics, and all the specu- 
lations of philosoi)hers of all schools, have not heen ahle 
to weaken the sentiment which the mass of mankind 
entertain and cherish, that the bosom of the genial earth is 
the just and proper place for the last repose of their de- 
caying bodies, and that it is not unbecoming or unwise in 
them, to take some thought and feel some anxietv about 
it. Plato and Flinw Socrates and Solon, are no authoritv 
for them on such a matter — and least of all is Diogenes. 
What we know is, that this feeling, which promjits the 
common desire of the fainting heart, that our lifeless 
bodies may be laid away in the earth, in some (|uiet and 
secure place of sepulture, with respectful observances — 
that this feeling, if it be not reason, or the result of reason, 
is at least consonant with reason, and not opposed bv anv 
thing which reason or conscience, truth, religion or dutv 
can suggest. And this is enough — enough for mortal 
men, who ought to be touchctl with a feeling of becoming 
humility when dealing with a subject which the great God 
and I-'ather of us all has much more to do with than we 
have, or can have. He has said that we shall return unto 
the ground; and that ma\- well be our humble desire, when 
we have done with life. 

No mode of disposing of the dead has ever prevailed, 
at an\- jieriod of time, or in any quarter of the world, with 



56 THE AI.P.AXV Kl'KAI. (EM ETK K V. 

any thiny like the common feeliny" of satisfaction which 
has attended the mode of Imiial in the earth. And there 
has been no quarter of the world, jierhajjs, where this 
mode has n()t sooner or later prevailed. It seems certain 
enoiio^h that this was the primitive mode. Abel was the 
first person that died, and the voice of his blood cried unto 
the Lord "from the ground." The first authentic account 
we have of the disposition of the dead, is an account of 
their burial; and nations the most rude and savaije, as well 
as those the must civilized and refined, have followed this 
custom. The ancient Germans; the ancient Britons; the 
aboriginal tribes of North and South America; the 
Egyptians; and the (rreeks ami Romans, in the best 
periods of their historv; the Jews; the Chinese, the Turks 
and the Arabs; the Africans; and nearb' all the nations 
and tribes now existing on the earth, with singular and 
partial exceptions, have followed, and d<i follow, this jirac- 
tice of committing the bodies of their deatl to the ground. 
They have not always, as I have intimated, and as I shall 
shortlv have occasion to repeat and to remark upon more 
particularlv, thev have not ahvavs given to the dead, and 
thev do not now gi\e them, their just and fair share of 
eligible land for theii' inheritance, and bir undisturbed 
repose. But still, the mode of disposition in common use 
is by burial. And e\en where practices have j)revailed, to 
some of which I ha\e adverted, which \iolate or evade the 
common right of the dead to sepulture, the right itself 
seems to be recognized and acknowledged. 

Amonaf Christian nations — among all nations which 



HON. ii. n. i;AkXAKi)s address. 57 

have had the Bible in hand — there ean he no doul)t that 
a stronicr feeHng has eommonl\- prevailed in behalf n{ this 
custom, and for the (|uiet and undisturlied rest and repose 
of the remains of the dead. it was a strono- relio-ious 
sentiment amony- the Hebrews. To be deprived of burial 
was deemed the ofeatest dishonor, and the greatest 
calamity that could l)efall an\- man. Even enemies, and 
criminals and suicitles were not denied burial. The 
Preacher sets forth in strony^ terms his sense of the utter 
misery of a man if "he have no burial." And a jjrophet 
denounces as the se\erest curse that could lioht on the 
head of the kinirs and priests of Judah who had practiced 
idolatry that their bones should be cast out of their (graves, 
and that the\- shoukl not afterwards be gathered, nor be 
buried. 

It would seem impossible that Christians, with the liible 
in their hands, could ever have an\- other tliought than that 
the dead ought to be permitted to rest in their ])roper 
graves. 1 lia\e alread\- referred to the significant language 
of the I Si 1 lie, upon the happening of that event which 
brought death into the world: "Till thou return unto the 
ground." There was labor to be endured, and lal)or with 
trials, and difficulties and sorrows, but the end would come 
by and b\-. That death which had been denounced as the 
certain penalty of disobedience, wouUl overtake the 
patient antl stricken laborer at last, and then there would 
be the blessing of a "return unto the ground." In the 
grave, at least, he should rest. I cannot help thinking 
that there was designed to be something of promise, and 







8 THE AI.r.ANV KlRAl. CEMETERY. 



liopc and comfort in this language. I cannot help think- 
ing that in this language is found a suiTicient warrant and 
authority to the dead for an indefeasible right of sepulture, 
which the li\ing cannot withhold without grievous wrong. 
It seems to me that everv living human creature is entitled 
when he dies, untler this great charter, to laml enough for 
an ani|)le grave, with (juiet possession, and ample security 
against intrusion or disturliance. 

To the Christian, moreover, there is a higher and a 
more sacred interest in sepulture, and in graves, than Jews 
and Gentiles have ever felt, or could ever feel. The 
blessed Saviour of the world slept three davs in a grave. 
This inijiorts much, \er\' much to the Christian, tie who 
follows this adorable Being in his life, is cpiite willing to 
follow him in his death and in his burial. The path to the 
grave, and the grave itself, have been illuminated bv this 
event, and its natural gloom has been dissipated. Chris- 
tians can see their wa\' plain enough to the grave, and 
jilain enough through it. The light from another world 
.streams into it, and at once, the way out of it, and the 
glories bevond it, are i"evealed. On the third da\' the 
Sa\'iour rose, and, with the glorified b(id\' which he brought 
with him from the ground, ascended into Heaven. The 
bodv witii which he had descended into the earth was 
human, like our own. It was subject to death; antl it was 
through death, and the grave, that it ])ut on immortality. 
In this event, we read, and we think wc- understand some- 
thing of the mvsteries of immortal life, through mortal 
dissolution, and rest in the gra\e. We now know, better 



Hon. I). I). Barnard's address. 59 

certainl\- tlian wc could ever have known without it, what 
it means to "retLini unto the o^round." It is, indeed, a rest 
from lalior — a repose after a Ions'; and difficult journev; 
liut it is more than this. The worn and wearied hodv is 
laid awa\- in the earth, to undergo that oreat and mvstic 
change which must fit it for the resurrection. "It is sown 
a natural hody; it is raised a spiritual l)ody." And with 
those who have this faith, what an unspeakable interest 
attaches to the inanimate human hody, hevond every thing 
which untaught nature, with all its tenderness and all its 
sensibilities, could ever suggest or feel. What new value 
is imparted to it — I had almost said what sacredness — 
from the consideration of the bright and ineffable change 
which its substance is caj^able of, and the high and holv 
uses to which it is destined I 

And we are taught, I think, that the grave, the bosom 
of the quickening earth, is the true and ])roper jilace where 
the body should wait for this expected change. We seem 
to find this in the original declaration made to the first 
man; "Thou shalt return unto the ground." And we find 
it in the memorable case and example of Jesus Christ. 
The gate of immortality has been opened through the 
grave. Flesh and blood cannot inherit immortal life; it is 
through death and the dissolving of these jihvsical ele- 
ments, that a bod\- is obtained which mav live forever. 
"That which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die." 
And the grave is the selected and appointed place where 
the gross elements of physical being are to be dissolved, 
and the quickening to a new and enduring life of the body 



6o Tin-: ai.i;a.\v rural f kmkterw 

lic'i^un. Men cannot, inck-cd, 1)C clicated of immortality 
liv an\' neglect, m an\ indignit)', or anv casualty, to which 
their bodies ma\' he subjected. Oceans cannot (|uench, 
lires cannot consume the essential i)rincii)le of lile which 
(iod mav draw from the dissolviny" elements of our mortal 
frames. Christians believe themsehes safe enouiih any 
where, and everv where, in his hands. Ikit, then, it is 
better both to u'o tlirouuh life, and to walk throus^h the 
.shadowv valle\-, in what seems to be at once the natural 
and appointed wa\\ And whatever philosophers ha\'e 
thoua;ht, and whatever Christians who call themselves 
philosophers mav think, after all that nature, anil our own 
hearts and sensibilities teach us on this subject, and after 
the instructions which relisjion ami the Bible impart to us, 
there are few amongst us, 1 think, of whatever faith, who 
do not feel a strong and unconc|uerable desire and hope 
that when the\' die, their boihes will rest in (piiet graves, 
undistuibed at least, if undistinguished, and there await 
events which sooner or later must come in the revelations 
of God and eternity. 

In the observations which I hax'c thus far made, after 
the desultor\' manner in which I have indulged, it has been 
my object to give vou m\- impressions of the general 
right of sepulture, and of undisturbed repose in the grave, 
which belongs to us all, and of the common obligation 
which rests on the li\ing to make proper and ample pro- 
vision for the becoming interment and rest of the dead. 
What I have intemled to say, in brief, is this: That the 
livinu- have no right to claim the earth e\clusi\'elv as their 



HON. I). I), p.arnard's addkkss. 6i 

inheritance. A fair portion of it l.clon,<,rs to the dead. 
We have no just ri-ht to stint or limit unfaiii\- the portion 
which mav be assifrned to them; or to make the term of 
their occujiancv too short for their projier repose. There 
is room enouoh f,,,- them, and for us too. Burial seems 
to be the natural mode of disposino; of the dead — the best 
for them, and tlie best for all. It seems, also, to be the 
natural, certainly it is the common, and all but universal 
desire and feeling of the human heart, that after tieath, we 
should receive burial. It has been the mode almost uni- 
versally adopted. No law of nature that we know of, no 
law of propriety or convenience, no law of Goil, forbids 
it, or discountenances it. No discoverv of science or of 
philosophv condemns it. On the contrarv, without violent 
or strained constructions, it ma\' be thought to have been 
the mode oris-inally prescribed bv the yreat Author of 
nature himself, from the hour when death entered into our 
world: and, at anv rate, it is a mode and practice which 
commends itself stronylv and irresistiblv to the judoment 
and heart of all Christians, as sanctioned bv all that is 
most sacred, most mvstical and sublime, and most tender 
and endearinu", in the hol\- faith to which they are devoted. 
If I am correct in these views, then it follows that a 
serious oblioation and dut\- rest on the livino- in reference 
to this subject. It is not their own convenience merely 
that they are to consult in reoard to the jiroper disposal of 
the death There is a duty to the dead to be considered, 
and the interests of humanitv, the interests of relisrion, and 
the interests of immorlalitv seem to be involved in it. 



62 THE ALIiANV RURAL CEMETERY. 

Wc cannot sav that this matter has alwavs attracted, or 
that it does now _t>enerally attract, as mucli attention as it 
deserves, even in Christian countries, our own included. 
Indeed, I am not sure that other countries have not set us 
examples in this reoard which would shame our Christian 
practices. The Chinese, notwithstandino; their swarming 
and crowded po})ulation, seldom inter in a yrave that has 
heen ])reviouslv occupied, ami never while any traces of 
a former hodv remain. Their cemeteries spread over very 
extensive o;rounds, and these, jierhaps, as heautiful and 
valuable as anv. This is not, certainly, after the teaching 
of Plato, who would have none hut the most barren 
ground set apart for se])ulture. 

It is not to be denied, or doubted, that nearlv all over 
Christendom, in modern times, especiallv, perhaps, in the 
large cities and towns, verv insufficient and verv slovenlv 
provision has been maile for interments — oftentimes lead- 
ing to verv unfeeling and unseemlv practices. I have 
already named some examples, and I will not repeat them. 
In the spread and growth of cities, it has happened quite 
commonly that the living population have crowded back 
the dead from their resting places, not unfrequentlv bv 
several remowds, in the suceessix'c stages of municipal 
extension antl improvement. In our countrv, particularly, 
the march of improvement has been rapid — in cities, as 
every where else — and changes are sudden and striking, 
and sometimes ruthless. Nobodv can tell, in an American 
citv, how long the dead in the \aults of churches, in 
])ri\ate \aults, and in eluneh\ard graves, ma\' be allowed 



TIOX. D. P. llAKXARp's ADDKF.SS. 63 

to occupy their ])osition, or how soon, rather, their places 
will he demanded as sites and marts of husiness or trade. 
We know how unsafe they are even in grounds which 
seemed at first (|uite remote from the centres of settlement 
and population. It is not too much to sa\-, perhaps, that 
not a considerahlc city, or larye town, could he named in 
the iMiitcd States where, from its foundation, provision has 
been made for interments at all adequate to secure the 
deatl from untimel\- and unhallowed intrusion ami dis- 
turliance. There has been, altogether, until a ver\- recent 
period, a sad and discreditable neglect in regard to this 
matter, and in our own country, quite as much as elsewhere. 
We, Christians, have not cared for the dead as the ancients 
cared for them. The works which they constructed in 
memory of the dead, some of them elaborate and ponder- 
ous, and others of exquisite beauty and finish, exist in our 
day. The highest efforts in arcliitecture, sculpture and 
paintinn; had their origin in this pious object. The vast 
cavernous temples of India hewn out of solid mountains 
of rock; the mighty pyramids of Egypt; the grottoes at 
Thebes carried hv excavation into the mountain side, with 
their galleries, and colonnades, their long sul)terranean 
alleys, and spacious chambers adorned with paintings and 
bas-reliefs; the sejudchres of Telmessus cut in the face of 
lofty perpendicular rocks, apjiarently almost inaccessible, 
and wrought, with marvellous art, into Ionic porticoes with 
gates and doors beautifuUv carved and embossed; these 
remarkable works and others like them remain to impress 
us with the zealous concern — mistaken it mioht be some- 



64 TlIK Al.r.ANV RURAL CE.MF/rERV. 

times in its object — superstitious it miuht i>e oftentimes — 
wiiich the ancients dispiaved for the repose and for the 
honor of the dead. The exquisite taste and orenius of the 
Cireeks were tasked to the utmost to furnish and adorn 
the dwellinu^s antl monuments of the dead. The Romans 
in this as in other thinys imitated the Cxreeks. 

Now, 1 know of no reason whv Christians — those who 
dwell in the liyht of the true reliyion and of modern 
ci\'ili/ation — shouUl not, in their own rational and lieeom- 
ino; wav, make at least some sort of suitahle |)rovision for 
the accommodation of the deatl, in ample and secure 
ijrav^es, and with such reference to location, position and 
embellishment as mav accord with a just taste, and with 
those sensibilities of our nature which can not be less 
refined and worth v because touched and chastened b\- the 
inlUiences of a holv faith. I knt)W, indeed, of no excuse 
for the neo-lect of such a duty. And it affords me particu- 
lar gratification to be able to say that a new interest has 
l)ecn awakened of late in our country on this subject, 
which has taken thus far exactly the right directicm, which 
is spreading in everv quarter, and promises results the most 
satisfactory and the most creditable. 

Rural cemeteries have already been established in various 
parts of the countrv, beginning with that of Mount 
Aubuin, near Boston, which was consecrated in September, 
1831. There are now several others in Massachusetts. 
Baltimore has t)ne; Philadelphia has one; New York has 
one ; Rochester in this state has one. It is after the 
examples thus set us 1)V our sister cities, that the ground 



<f^ 



-JlJ» 






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Near Cypress Water. 



HON. I). D. Barnard's address. 65 

on which we now stand has l)ccn procured for a rural 
cemetery lor the city of Albany. 

This manner of preparinsj pleasant habitations for the 
dead, ajiart from tlie bustle and throno; of l)usv dwelling- 
places, in grounds selected for the beauty of their position 
and outline, and susceptible of every kind of s\-|van 
embellishment, is not new. In this matter we can onlv 
follow the example which the Egy])tian, the German,* the 
Hebrew, the Asiatic, the Greek, of the old time, have set 
us. They went without their cities, and made their ceme- 
teries in shady groves, and laid down their dead beneath 
waving trees, amid embowering shrubbery, and near to bub- 
bling fountains, murmuring streams, anil placid lakes. 
There is one of the most beautiful cemeteries of this sort 
in the world in the environs of Constantinople. It is 
guarded by the Moslem with religious care. The commu- 
nities of Moravian brothers have long been accustomed to 
form their burial-places into ornamental gardens. Need I 
tell you that the tomb in which the bodv of the Redeemer 
was laid was in a garden? 

The grounds where we are now assembled have been 
selected for a cemetery, as in the examples to which 1 have 
referred, with a special view to their natural beaut\-, and 
their capability of improvement after the manner of land- 
scape gardening. No one, after looking at them, can 
doubt, I think, that they have been most happily chosen. 
We see and know what they are, but we can scarcely know 
what they will be — how full of inexpressible beauty — 
when the forming hand of taste shall once have been laid 



66 THE ALBANY RURAL CEMETERY. 

upon them. I shall not attempt to describe them. Here 
thev are to answer for themseJYes to cYery cyc. \Vhat 
pleasant hills and knolls — what ijentle slopes — what abrupt 
declivities — what i)ushY dells — what trees and groves — 
what silverv, soft-toned, gentle, li\ing waters, are here — 
and what expressive silence — what religious repose! 
Think of all this natural beautv at once fuUv brought out 
and softened bv the hand of art — at once heightened, yet 
subdued bv the civilizing and humanizing processes to 
which it mav be subjected — and then think of it inhabited 
onlv bv the dead; here and there a gTa\e, or a grouj) of 
graves; some in one lovelv spot, some in another, as the 
dving themsehes mav choose, or as fond surviving frienils 
mav select, and marked by every variety of modest 
memorial which affection can suggest. N\'hat scene in 
nature could be more beautiful, more attractive, more 
impressive, more improving! 

These grounds, under becoming regulations, will be open 
to all — to everv class, and everv complexion in society, 
and to everv sect in religion. The jioor will have a place 
here as well as the rich; and wherever the dead are laid in 
these grounds, there will the\' remain. Theie will be no 
crowding of grave upon grave, or heaping of bodies one 
upon another. This will be a common burial-i)lace where 
all shall meet on terms of common fellowshij) and brother- 
hood. Everv dear relation in life, severed by death, shall 
be found restored again in these grounds — husband and 
wife, parent and child, brother and sister, shall be re-united 
here. Friend shall meet friend here; and enemies, too, 



HON. 1>. I). llAkXARDS ADDKKSS. 6? 

shall meet, their enmities all forgotten. Yonder city, 
where, as everywhere in life, the harmonies of society are 
apt to he hroken hy petty feuds, by ungentle rivalries, by 
disturbing jealousies, by party animosities, by religious 
dissensions, shall, one after another, as death singles them 
out, send up her multitudinous jjopulation to these grounds, 
and here they shall take their resjx'ctive places, in amiable 
l)ro.\imity to each other, peaceful, harmonious, undisturbed 
ami undisturbing, the same shadows deepening on them, 
the same sun-light over them, resting in the same hope, and 
waiting for the same change and the same resurrection. 
It is a ]ilace appointed for the final composition and adjust- 
ment of all their difficulties and differences. And what 
weights of sorrow, too, and pain, trouble and affliction, 
shall the inhabitants of that city, first and last, lav down in 
this place. What a refuge shall it be, from shivering 
misery, and S(|ualid want, from secret griefs, from penur\-, 
oppression, injustice — in short, from the world. The 
young, the innocent, the beautiful, the hap|)\ , must make 
their bed, also, in this hallowetl earth, as well as others; 
and what an e.\([uisite tenderness of interest shall their 
presence lend to the [ilace, and the scene. The graves 
here, like trees in the tropics, shall bear at one and the 
same time, the fresh bud, the opening llower, the unripe 
fruit, and that which is yellow to the harvest. The aged, 
and the honored, the wise, the brave, the learned, the skil- 
ful, the eloquent, shall lie down here to their last sleep, and 
with them, the undistinguished, the humble, and the lowlv 
in heart and life. What a congregation will be gathered 



OS rill" \ll:V\V Kl KAl rlMlirKV. 

Iu"n~ liinv \;\^I, ^n^.\ \ ,iric>l .\iul in hnw slioit a sjiaiH' of 
tiiiu" ! Aiul in ihi' process ol lilliiiL; up tliosr >^rouiuls iVoin 
tlir tidr ot ;KMtli whii'li sliall In- tuiiuil in upon tiK-ni Itoin 
ihr li\ iuL; i.'il\, oli, w lio lan irll what au^uisli nf spirii, 
what a^on\ , what despair, niusl \\c\c lu- trli aiul sulTcrcil ! 
IVnil'llrs^ tlio stiiiL; o( Oralh tiir l>ai lu'd anow shol 
tVoin liis I'artiuan Imw is in tlu- lirari ot tin- li\ iuL;, o( 
tlu' wii'tilu-il ^iir\i\ois ol tlu- IowhI ilrad. 1 low main an' 
tluMO who >io mourning all iln'ir ila\ >> ! \\\' hope and 
lH-lii'\i' that in tlu- usr ol' this oioiuul as a I'l'iiii'ln \ . then- 
nia\ lu- lound sonuMluiii: to aid in assuauinu the hitiomoss 
ol tlu- mourner's iiiict. I let o the dead will possess cpiiet 
maNe-^, whieh tViends ma\ wateh over and heauiilx at 
pleasure. Here Natuii- will put on all her loveliness to 
lenipt tiie mourner tortli to lieiiueiit eomnumion with iier, 
with tiie spirits ot the departed, .\nd with dod. the Author 
ot all. The h.ihit ol' eomiiiii alnoad into her presenee. in 
plaees wlieie she elothes iierselt in aspeets and i^arments 
o{ ine.xpressihle beaut\. when the luart. melted with uriet. 
Itas aequiii'd a livelv sensihilitv to her attraetions and 
power. eanntU fail lo hrinii sooihino and eoinfort to the 
wounded spirit. The gloom which usuallv surrounds and 
settles over the sitave will here he dissipated, and the sacred 
spiU where the remains of the loved and lost are deposited, 
will be associated onl\ w ith objects and ,iccompaniments 
the most attractive and beautiful. 

We hope and believe, too. that the custom of visitinu- 
these iiiounds, which cair not fail to become general, when 
onco thev shall be biouuht into ari-aniicment and order. 



HON. h. I,. )i.\K\AI<n's AOIJKES.S. 69 

suIkIuciI and cml.cllistic.l, aiul made accessible at every 
\>oun \)y easy avenues and frraceful walks, will conduce to 
other eminent benefits and blessings. It can hardly be 
otheru'ise. We may expect this jjlace to become a great 
moral teacher; and many valuable lessons there are, that 
may l)e learned here — lessons of humility, of moderation, 
of charily, of contentment, of mercy, of peace — lessons 
touching nearly all that c(^ncerns life, touching death, and 
touching immortality. In the ceremonies of this dav, we 
open wide the ample volume where these lessons arc t(j be 
read; we |)oint to its recorded page; we invite to a fref|uent 
and diligent perusal. We think there is wisdom in it 
above the wisdom of men, and pn.fit, unspeakable profit, 
both for the life that now is, and f<;r that wliich is to cf.me. 



A dirge — performed by the Lothian iJaiirl, in a most 
efifective style — folhnved, when 

TIm Doxology, having been read by the Rev. l)v. Kkn- 
NEDV, was sung by the choir, to the tune of ( )\,\ Hundred. 

The Benediction was then pronounced bv the Ucv. Dr. 
PoTiEK, and the company dispersed. 



^0 



■JO THE Al.liANV RURAL (.KM K TKkS'. 

"VrOT iii;in\-, [Holiahlv, recall llu' fact that the place 
where these exercises took place, and which is now 
occupied hv Consecration lake, was once the site of a 
country school-house. The following): letter charniinyly 
records its earlv surroundings and associations: 

Mr. I. P. TmiMAs, .V///A Albany Rural Ceiiictciy, 

Dkar Sir: — In compliance with your request that I would 
furnish vou with any facts I might be at)le to recall regarding the 
location, history, etc., of the old mill and school-house that 
occupied the site of what is now Consecration lake in the Albany 
Rural Cemetery, at the time it was organized and went into opera- 
tion, I take pleasure in sending \'ou the following brief sketch 
which it has afforded me an agreeable pastime to prepare, relating, 
as it does, to a spot associated in my mind witii so many early and 
cherished recollections. 

The place itself, as its retired situation even yet, after all the 
changes that have passed over it, indicates, was one of the most 
secluded and romantic that could be imagined. Far removed from 
the highway and the noise and bustle of the world, and only 
approached by the solitary footpaths that led to it from various 
directions through the surrounding forest, it was seldom visited by 
the feet of strangers, and no one coukl have dreamed that it con- 
tained a hal)itation, much less a seat of learning, where the rudi- 
ments were taught in all the fullness and renovv'n of Webster, 
DaboU and Murray: and I might add, enforced with all the per- 
suasive arguments of birch. Few of its okl features remain at the 
present time. The old mill, with its, to us children, huge over-shot 
water-wheel, and the school-house standing close to the margin of 
the brook and nestled under its green canopy of leaves, are no 
more. Tiie brook no longer ripples over the pebbles as it winds its 
way under the shady banks; and where the green play-ground 
extended in front and around, and the luncheon-hank invited under 
its spreading branches, is now an e.xpanse of water. 

The main approach to this retired little nook was from tlie east, 
by a path that fullowed the windings of the stream through the 
beautiful ia\ine that now forms the carriage entrance, till it sud- 




u 



LETTER FROM MK. JOHK HILLHOUSE. 71 

denly emerged upon this lovely little secluded dell, covered with 
its carpet of verdure and wild flowers, hid away in its amphitheatre 
of wooded hills that closed in on every side to embrace it. As one 
wrote who had visited it after a long interval: 

The foot-path winding with the woodland stream, 
With beating heart I tread; where oft, a child 
I lingered, bound as in a blissful dream 

Of rapt enchantment by their charms beguiled. 

Through leafy glen they lead, by music cheered, 
The sweetest that the silvery streamlets smg ; 
And to the well-known spot, so much endear'd. 

Where the old school-house rose, my footsteps bring. 

The brook (called by the old Dutch inhabitants of the valley 
" Moordenaer's kill," from a tradition of a murder committed near 
the bridge that crossed its mouth at the time the road between 
Albany and Troy ran along the river bank), originally hugged the 
base of the hills bounding the dell on its northerly side. The 
school-house stood directly on its bank on the south side, at the 
base of the most prominent of these hills, whose top was crowned 
with a lofty pine. The mill was further up the stream, on the same 
side with the school-house, just at the point where it emerged from 
the ravine and entered the open dell. A bridge now occupies its 
site. It was called the "old oil mill," and was originally built by 
my father for the purpose of preparing oil-cake for the fattening 
of cattle. The house was for the miller's use. There were two 
dams on the creek above for the supply of water for the mill, one 
at the bend just beyond the high bridge, the other on the site of 
the present dam at the outlet of the lake above. From the former 
the water was conveyed in an open plank race carried along the 
slope of the hill, and discharged through a long, high trough upon 
the over-shot wheel. The mill and dwelling were erected about 
1816. How long they served their original purpose I am not able 
to say exactly, but probably some five or six years. 

The school was kept by Mistress Olive Phelps, daughter of 
Deacon Phelps, of Gibbonsville, now West Troy. A strict disci- 
plinarian and an excellent teacher, thorough and pains-taking. 
Her governing principle was that learning and obedience go 
together, and that birch was intended to keep them in their places; 
a principle which, if things are estimated by their results, was both 
sound and practical, for all of her sciiolars, botli boys and girls, 



72 THE ALBANY RURAL t'KMLTKRV. 

became very sixuit. She was also a staunch advocate in upholding 
the necessity of the dunce-block and fools-cap as helps in the edu- 
cation and training of youth. These ancient implements — the 
former an octagonal block of wood two feet high, painted black; 
the latter a lofty beaver without rim. made of blue sugar-loaf 
paper — occupied a conspicuous place in the north-west corner of 
the room, whence they shed a subduing influence over the school- 
room. Several well-known gentlemen of the present day, and 
must I add, a number of charming ladies, owe their first elevation 
in life to the old dunce block. The girls used to look very pictur- 
esque and pretty upon it, in the sugar-loaf hat and in tears. 

This, being the only school in the neighborhood, became quite 
flourishing, numbering at times as many as forty scholars of both 
sexes. I think none of them can ever have forgotten those pleasant 
days; strolHng through the wood in search of winter-greens and 
wild-flowers, building little dams in the brook and imprisoning 
therein the tiny pin-fish. 

" O what are the pleasures we perish to win, 
To the first little shiner we caught with a pin." — 

Running and sliding headlong down the steep path that de- 
scended the hill in the south-west angle of the dell; or, before all 
other sports, clasping the long arms and going over and over, 
round and round with the big water-wheel. This last pastime I 
think the girls never attempted, at least not while the boys were 
there. 

About 1829, the mill, having been leased to some parties for the 
manufacture of printers' ink, the school, with its fixtures and dunce- 
block, was removed to the new school building, which my father 
built and which is still standing on the south side of the Cemetery 
avenue. The manufacture of ink not proving a success, the work 
was abandoned and the school-house became thereafter the home 
of one of the farm laborers, while the mill was given up to the 
bats and flying squirrels, and suffered to go to decay. In this state 
they continued until 1846, when, in the purchase made by Gov. 
Wm. L. Marcy and Thomas W. Olcott for the Albany Rural Ceme- 
tery, they became the property and passed into the possession of 
that most worthy association and fell before the tide of improve- 
ment. Yours very truly, 

417 Madison Ave., New York, John Hn.i. house. 

August, 1880. 




itt^^aam 



-_X 



REV. BARTHOLOMEW T. WELCH, D. D. 

First president of the Albany Cemetery Association. 

[Fniui a iilidtograph. by permission of his son, Dr. Welch of Castleton, N. Y.] 



EARI.V DAYS OF THE ASSOCl ATIOX. 75 



nPHERE is no one living to-day to tell the story of this 
enterprise as it might have been told twelve or fifteen 
years ago. All the men who were interested in its origin, 
who first urged its importanee upon the slow ears 
and reluctant pockets of their generation, who issued 
appeals, who solicited suliscri])tions, who contrived ways 
and means, and who fmallv placed the association upon a 
firm foundation, with land to sell and monev in the hank — 
these men are all gone. Doubtless they carried the knowl- 
edge, and perhaps the secret, of manv a discouragement to 
the grave with them. To build up such a magnificent 
property as that of the Albany Cemetery Association 
against the inertia of i)ul)lic apathy rc])resents more 
endea\(»r than is ever recorded — certainly more than can 
be recorded here, much as we should be ])leased to credit 
in paiticular, and to the fullest extent, the jjublic spirit and 
enteri)rise of Rew Di. Welch and Mr. Tliomas \V. Olcott. 
Without the inspiring words and noble example ol the one 
and the financial skill and resources of the other, it is 
doubtful whether the project would have been carried 
through for many years. 

As it was, part of the money to be paid for purchase of 
the land was secured by mortgage, and it is a tradition tiiat 
the statelv and courteous "old Dr. Wendell." meeting Mr. 
Olcott and Mr. flillhouse ojiposite the bank one morning, 
o])enly and rountlh' denounced the whole i)roject, bringing 
his cane down ujion the })avement most emphatically, and 



•j6 TIIK AI.UAXV RL'RAL CEMETERY. 

declarinu- it was the luiijht of absurdity to expect any one 
to burv their dead in "a mortgaticd lot." 

This, however, tlid not ]irove an insuperable olistacle, 
althouiiii it appears that the title deeds to the orisiinal pur- 
chase were not executed till Januarv i, 1S46. or more than 
a vear after the <irounds were consecrated. These deeds 
were for alinut fort\"-two acres bou^ill from Thomas and 
John llillhouse, and seventv-eight acres bought from 
Governor Marcv and others, executors of Benjamin 
Knower, deceased, and tor which, in all, the consideration 
was about $12,500. 

Rev. Dr. Welch and Mr. Olcott having been appointed 
a committee of the trustees to superintend the improve- 
ment of the grounds, as well as to locate and jjurchase 
them, engaged the services of Maj. 1). B. Douglass, who 
had won some reputation b\- his treatment of Green-\\\)od, 
antl the work began. Subscrij)tion-books tor lots were 
opened theJune following the consecration, and persons 
making the highest bids were entitled to first choice. The 
bids ranged from $1 to $80. Bidders were ranged in 
classes, according to the amount of their bids, and the days 
on which thev should have prioritv of selection in each 
class were determined In' lumiber. Rev. Dr. Welch and 
Mr. Olcott, in consideration of their services, were author- 
ized to select one lot each, without charge. The jjtice of 
lots, 16x16, at hrst was $25. The first deed of a lot 
recoriled was .lulv 4, 1845, to Edward C. Delavan. 

The trustees being permitted bv their act of incorpora- 
tion to "ive to the Cemeterv "such name as thev mav 




IIIOMAS W . OLCO'l ] . 
Sicdinl |iiiMil)'iit til' tlif Albany Cemetery AssQ<.'i:itKin. 



CHANGES IN THE HoAkD. 



79 



think appropriate," at first decided on " The Evergreens," 
and it was so designated for once, at least, in the official 
advertisements ; but this action was speedily rescinded, and 
it became the Albany Rural Cemetery. 

Its history up to iS6S was, more or less, that of a strug- 
gle for sup[)ort. Manv persons bought lots, it is true, but 
the expense of improving the grounds and keejjing them 
in order, was large. The burial-grounds on the site of 
Washington park were now closed. In fact there had 
been but few interments there for some time, but in 1868 
the bodies were removed to the Rural and to St. Ao-nes 
Cemeteries, at an expense to the city of some $40,000, 
and the Rural Cemetery speedily became the place of 
burial for all outside the Roman Catholic church, not onlv 
in Albany, but in a great many instances for residents of 
Cohoes, \\'est Trov and Trov. The beautv of the grounds 
and their complete adaptation to the purpose, have also 
attracted the attention of many people in other cities, and 
scores of lots have been sold to persons living in New 
\ ork and Brooklyn. It is twenty vears since the finances 
of the association have occasioned anv anxiety, except as 
to how thev shall be invested. 



In less than a year from organization changes were made 
in the board of trustees, but as it is not the intention to 
here record all the details which make up the book of 
minutes, it will be sufficient to merely mention the names 
of the trustees in their succession, as follows : 

Archibald Mclntyre was succeeded at death i)v S. H. 



8o THE Ai.r.AXV kl'ral cemktery. 

Ransom, January 8, 1859; succeeded by Granoc Sard, 
October 9, 1883. 

Rev. B. T. Welch resigned Januaiy 27, 1847, and was 
succeeded b\- Dr. Peter \Vendell, who died and was suc- 
ceeded in 1850 bv Greene C. Bronson, who resigned and 
was succeeded, July 26, 1852, bv William II. De Witt, 
antl he, Januar\- 15, 1873, by Jeremiaii J. Austin, and he 
resia^nino,- was succeeded, Januarv 10, 1878, by Robert L. 
Johnson, who dving was succeeded by Abraham Lansing, 
April 12, 1881. 

Stephen \'an Rensselaer resigning was succeeded, Jan- 
uarv 15, 1845, bv Isaiah Townsend. who removing to 
Cornwall was succeeded, January 23, 1856, by (ien. John 
v. Rathbone. 

(ien. John A. Dix resigning was succeeded, January 27, 
1847, bv Marcus T. Reynolds, and he, January 8, 1861, by 
Charles Van Benthuysen, who at his death was succeeded 
October 21, 1881, bv Daniel S. Lathroji, who dying was 
succeeded b\' John Boyd Thacher, April 10, 1883. 

John O. Wilson going to Chicago was succeeded, July 
17, 1863, bv Isaac W. Vosbuigh, and he at his death by 
Gen. John G. Farnsworth, June 7, 1889. 

James Horner resigning was succeeded, January 27, 
1847, by John L. Schoolcraft, and he January 8, 1861, by 
Otis Allen, and he thing, by Erastus D. Palmer, January 
10, 1866. 

.\nthon\- M. Strong resigning was succeeded, February 
15, 1871, bv John T. Norton, and he by Erastus Corning, 
September 21, 1871. 




KkAr'iU^ COKM-M.. 
[Thiitl ami present ijresideiit of the Albany Cemetery Association.] 



SUCCESSIOX OF THE TRUSTEES. 8 1 

Peter Gansevoort was succeeded hv James B. fermain, 
January i8, 1876. 

Thomas W. Olcott was succeeded at death !)V Dudley 
Olcutl, May 18, 1880. 

Ezra P. Prentice resio-ninu' was succeeded, Januarv 15, 
1845, ''.^' Thomas llillhouse, and he by Abraham Van 
W'ciUen, September 21, 1871. 

Jiihn I. Wendell was succeeded. Januarv i. 1855, ''>' 
Rev. Dr. B. T. Welch; and he, Septemlier 21, 1871, bv 
James Kidd, and he l)y Judge Rufus W. Peckham, Sep- 
tember 26, 1879. 

Ellis Baker was succeeded, September 17, 1850, b\- Gov. 
W. L. Marcv; and he, September 17, 1857, bv Dr. Alden 
March: and he, Januar\- 11, 1870, by Dr. James H. 
Armsby ; and he, January 18, 1876, by Charles B. Eansing, 
and he by Judge William L. Learnetl, januarv 12, 1891. 

Ira Harris was succeeded by Robert Eeno.x Banks, Jan- 
uary 18, 1 8 76. 

There have been but three presidents : Rev. B. T. 
Welch, 1S44 to 1849; Thomas W. Olcott, 184910 1880; 
Erastus Corning, 1880. 

Mr. James B. Jermain was elected vice-president Octo- 
ber 12, 1886. 

The secretaries have been: Anthonv M. Strong (who 
was also treasurer), John \\'. I'ortl (not a member of the 
board). James W. (ireene (sujierintendent ), A. M. Strong, 
Charles \'an Benthuvsen, Robert Leno.x Banks. 

The treasurer was combined with the secretarv in Mr. 
A. M. Strong: with superintendent in Mr. Thomas, and 

10 



82 Till-: Al.UA.W KUKAI. ( EMKTF.KV. 

is now Mr. niullcv Olcott. with an assistant in Mr. Willis 
("r. Nash. 

Mr. lohn l^". Shafcr has been the book-keeper sinee 
November 15, 1S86. 

Major Dono^lass was eniLiasj,etl as enoineer in layiny- out 
the tirounils iluririi^ 1844-5 '^>^<^^ '^^ '^''"^' '^^''^^ sueeeeded by 
jolin 1 lillhoiise, who acted as such until 1848, when he 
was succeedetl bv Burton A. Thomas, who was eonnectetl 
in that eapaeitv with the Cemetery till 1879. He was suc- 
eeedeil bv his son. Jeffrev P. Thomas, who was also, as he 
is yet, the superintendent. 

The names first given to many of the localities in the 
Cemeterv bv Major Douglass were thought to be strangely 
inai)propriate, and January 23, 1856, Superintendent 
Greene was authorized b\' the boanl to change the nomen- 
clature which he dill in manv cases. In fact the name of 
the Cemeterv itself has been discussed at various times, 
manv favoring a more poetical designation. Mr. Alfred 
B. Street suggested that it be called Tawasentha, said to 
mean in the Indian language, "the place of manv dead." 

The first keeper of the Cemeterv was John \'arley. In 
i8soJohn L. Weatherwa.x was made the superintendent. 
He was succeeded in 1852 by Rev. James \V. Greene, who 
was also secretarv and treasurer, and Robert W. Bell was 
keei)er. Mr. Greene resigned June 1, 1868, and was suc- 
ceeded bv Mr. J. P. Thomas, as stated. 

In 1868 the position of superintenilent of interments was 
created and filled by the appointment of Patrick Callen. 
He was succeedetl in May, 1878, bv James A. Burns. 



PRESENT E(_)AKI) AXM OKFICEKS. 83 

The roster at the |Mesent time is acconlinirlv as follows: 

Presihen r, 

liKASTUS CORNING. 

Vice-Pkf.sioknt, 

JAMES B. JEiRMAIN. 

Secretary, 

ROBERT LENOX BANKS. 

Treasurer, 

DUDLEY OLCOTT. 

Assistant Treasurer, 
WILLIS G. NASH. 

AccouNi ant, 
JOHN F. SHAFER. 

Trustees, 

JOHN F. RATHBONE, RUFUS W. PECKHA.M, 

ERASTUS D. PALMER, DUDLEY OLCOTT, 

ERASTUS CORNING, ABRAHAM LANSING, 

ABRAHAM VAN VECHTEN, JOHN BOYD THACHER, 

ROBERT LENOX BANKS, GRANGE SARD, Jk., 

JAMES B. JERMAIN, JOHN G. FARNSWORTH, 
WILLIAM L. LEARNED. 

Sui'ERINTENDENT AND SURVEYOR, 

JEFFREY P. THOMAS. 

Superintendent ok Interments, 

JAMES A. BURNS. 

From the hist annual rejiort of Superintendent Thomas, 
January i, 1892, it a|)j)ears that the whole numlier of lots 
sold sinee the Cemetery was opened was at that time 
7,148; the whole number of interments, 36,225. The 
number of interments last year was i.i 35, whieh was hfty- 
nine more than the preeeding year. The funds held for 
the perpetual eare of lots amount to more tiian $100,000. 







DESCRIPTIVE. 



'^IIE situation of the ,\ll)anv Rural Cemctcn- leaves 
nothino; to he desired. It is in the town of Water- 
vliet, on the west side of the Hudson river, about midway 
between Alhanv and \Vest Trov. ^Vithin a radius of ten 
miles are the homes of not less than 200,000 people, who 
live mostly north, south and east; and yet this ^reat city 
of the dead, co\erin.i,r 300 aeres, with its steadilv increasing 
population, is retired as well as central, and convenient 
without heino; conspicuous. It is far enough awa\- not to 
be a louncjino- place for the merely idle, and yet near 
enough to be easilv accessible to those (of whom there are 
man\-), who take a mournful pleasure in passinif much 
time within its jjcaceful borders. 

A \ery pleasant way to reach the Cemetery from Albany 
bv carriage, is o\er the \'an Rensselaer boule\-ard, leavino- 
the Trov road just north of the patroon's and ascendina: 
the hill which affords extended and lieautiful views of the 
city of Albanv and the valley of the Hudson. The road 
runs past the extravagant Iv built " Fritz \'illa," once the 
home of the late Joseph K. Emmet, the actor, and ends 



86 THE ALBANY RURAL CKMETERV. 

at the soiUIktii entrance to the Cemeterv, whence Linden 
a\'enLie leads directlv to the South ridy'e. 

The route foi- funerals, and the one most in general use 
is over the \\'ater\liet turnpike (known in Alhanv as the 
Trov road, and in Trov as the All>an\' road), through the 
toll-gate, past the Old Men's home, in sight of Menands, 
"the Garden suliurh," and of the [''air sfi'ounds. The 
electric cars of the West Trov and Watervliet turnjiike 
pass within less than half a mile of the eastern entrance, 
the approach to which from where the cars stop and where 
carriages leave the turnpike, is through a superb arboral 
archwav of majestic elms rpiite unsurpassed in this part of 
the countr\'. 

The belt line steam cars, running hourl\- each way from 
Albany and Trov from 7 a. ni. to 11 p. m. (except on 
Sundays, when the trains are less fre(|uent), leave passen- 
gers within a few rods of the eastern entrance, and consti- 
tute the most rajiid and convenient wav of reaching the 
Cemeterv from either city. 

As the visitor enters the gatewav there is nothing to be 
seen in the Cemetery itself indicating the purpose to which 
it is devoted. There is no imposing portal, no notice to 
all the world that this is the Albanv Rural Cemetery, and 
not a grave or monument is in sight. A simple fence 
marks the boundarv, and a |>crfect roadwav passes 
through the open gate into what appears to be the admira- 
blv kept grounds of some countrv seat controlled by 
wealth and culture. To be sure, the lodge just inside the 
gate, is a structure ncjt common to i)rivate grounds, and 



-,» -. NT- ■ If 










THK L()DC;i-: AT TIIK EASTERN ENTRANCE. Sj 

without licing at all jiR-tcntious commands attention from 
the originality of design which elsewhere woidd certainly 
excite imiuirv. No one would mistake it for a private 
dwelling, nor vet for a ])ul)lic building. The general stvle 
is Romanesque; althoigh the loggia on the south side of 
the second storv, with its arcaded front, is clearly taken 
from Italian architecture. The material is red Potsdam 
sandstone and Croton brick, while the irregular roof, 
broken l)v dormers, is of red tile. The lieautiful ampclop- 
sis tr//f//// adds its verdure in summer to what is at once 
picturesque and in as perfect harmonv with the landscape 
as it is with the purpose for which it was designed. The 
lodge was erected in 1882, after plans l)v R. \V. Gibson, 
the architect of All Saints' cathedral. 

Just back of the lodge is a tower in which hangs a 
bell, once usetl for funerals, but as burials became frequent 
its tolling was almost constant, and it now serves simi)l\' 
to signal the employees when to begin and leave off work. 
No reception, therefore, is now given the silent procession 
as one after another they enter this domain of the dead; 
no welcome, no farewell, save perhaps that heard bv the 
hermit thrush of New England poets:* 

" A train went through a burial gate, 
A bird broke forth and sang, 
And trilled and quivered and shook his throat, 
Till all the churchyard rang. 

" And then adjusted his little notes 
And bowed and sang again. 
Doubtless he thought it meet of him 
To say good-bye to men." 



* Emily Dickinson. 



88 THE ALBANY UrKAI, (EM KTKRV. 

Lookinu' nortlnvard, the road bv wliich \vc have entered 
is lost to view in a line orowth of trees thirty or forty rods 
distant, just where is seen the parte coclicrc of the simple 
chapel in which services for the dead are often held. This 
building, much needed for many years, was erected in 
1884, after designs by Gibson. 

To the left three drive-ways lead to the three natural 
divisit)ns of the Cemeterv, known as the North, Middle and 
South ridges. The eye rests with delight on the undu- 
lating lawns and here and there on masses of thrifty 
shrubs, a bed of foliage plants, a rustic vase of tlowers. 
but nowhere anv attempt at elaborate lloral decoration. 
This is not a garden, it is not a park, it is not a pleasance. 
Its distinct character is maintained at everv i)oint. Other 
grounds for the same purpose may have costlier monu- 
ments, larger area or more elaborate ornamentation. Some 
excel in one feature, some in another, but those jiersons 
best qualified to judge are free to admit that in no burial 
place in the world are the characteristics expressed in its 
name more fuUv exemplilied than in the Alban\- Rural 
Cemetery. 

It is at once apparent that the important requisite of 
room is not lacking. There are manv acres now the 
property of the association in which land there is not a 
single grave, while the adjacent area availal)le by purchase 
is practicalh' without limit. This obviates the one great 
objection to interment as a dis]K)sition of the dead. No 
grave need ever encroach upon another in the Rural 
Cemetery. 




u 



THE CASCADE. 89 

There is hill and dale and srrassy knoll ; there are limpid 
streams and shady nooks; lakes and brocjks and fountains, 
and cascades; two ravines, romantic in their svlvan heautv, 
divide the ridsjes one from another. On higher ground 
the views of the surrounding country, of the placid Hud- 
son and tile hills which skirt its eastern hank, of the great 
iron industries pouring forth their clouds of smoke hy day 
and their pillars of fire by night, the slow moving canal 
Ixjats, the swift moving steam cars, the boats on the river, 
the distant cities north and south, all form such pictures as 
words can not paint. 

A few steps up the road a once not verv ornamental 
]iool of water known as Orient lake, has given jilace to a 
murmuring cascade down which ripples the stream that 
has sung its way through the glen and is now flowing on 

" to join the rushing river." 

x-lrt has concealed ait in constiuction of this mimic water- 
fall, and few imagine that it represents hours of tiiought 
and weeks of labor, so closely has nature been imitated. 
It was planned and constructed by Superintendent Thomas 
in 1875. The little lake above, the fountain, the weeping 
willow, all make a most pleasing picture which one is loath 
to leave. 

But a long and interesting ramble is before us. Let it 
be said in starting that no one can traverse all the walks 
and drives, doing each lot the justice of examination, 
unless several days are devoted to it. Neither is it |)racti- 
cable in a book of this kind to mention every memorial 
that is deserving. More than 36,000 persons are buried in 



go Till Al I'.AW KlKAl, (KM F.ri: R V. 

the Rural ( 'I'liU'tcTW Ovci" thr yivat |ir()|uirti()n of tlicm 
lii\ iiiii liaiuls lunc placc-il sonif l-;iiul ol a nu'nientd. In 
siJinc instanci'S tlir niillionairc has diawn upon his anipk' 
resources; in others it is the widow's mite that has hren 
t'xpended. The residt, ol eourse, is y'reat varit'tv, and as 
the \isitoi" onh' stops to look at what is most attraetixe 
and imeix'Stiny', so we are eom|)rlkHl to select onh' those 
lots which, tor special reasons, are most wortlu' of notice, 
or those which ser\e as lantlmarks to guide us on our 
winding' wax*, knowing we'll that in so doing we sliall, in 
hundreds ot instances, lea\e unmcntioncd the one spot 
dearer to some heart than the mttst l>i-autilul marhle uv the 
most massive granite to he houglit with monc}' or fash- 
iom^'d 1)\' tlie hantl ol genius. 

A glance at the map shows an intricate intcrlacerx' of 
walks and (hives, all of which we shall not att(.'mpt to 
untangle, hut it will he seen that the st'ctions are marked. 
Ihe figures which follow mention in the text of lots 
and monuments, refer to these sections, and it is onh hv 
frequent consultation of the map in connection therewith 
tiiat it will he possihle to make clear the location of ohjects 
of interest. 

The winding ravines which separate the three natural 
dixisions ai\- narroxx' in places and again spread out into 
lake areas. The ridges run east and west and xvith their 
undulations form nnnu-rous hillocks, xvhieh fre(|U(_'ntl\' kaid 
themselxes, verx' naturallx', to tenace effects. South\var(.l 
thi' .South ridge spreads out into a nearlx' level ]ilain oxer 
xxhieh. and tiie oentle undulations still further south landeii 




The Cascade. 



RiiAIiWAVS AMI WALKS. QI 

avenue leads to the Menand mad and the \"an Renssehier 
boulevard. 

The ))iinei})al roadway is the Tour wliieh winds in ami 
out for eight miles, over the hills and throuuh the ravines, 
never crossinij itself exeept at (ilen Cross hridije where 
the rt)ad south from Consecration lake throuyh the ra\ine 
passes under the road leadino" from Mount Olivet to Rose- 
land hill. If the Tour is followed implieitlv it will ccjnduct 
one 1)\' all the jirineipal points to be seen from the dri\"e- 
ways. Western avenue conducts to the western .yate, past 
the Jewish cemeterv to the Newtonville road. 

Of the principal walks Consecration path and Medita- 
tion walk lead from the Tour near the entrance to the very 
heart of the most romantic scener\' in the ^irounds. Pass- 
ino; Consecration lake Rax'ine walk follows the course of 
the brook windinu- around the lakes, throuiiii the ravine 
separatin<>; the South and Middle ridg;es and crossing the 
rivulet nianv times by rustic bridges until it connects with 
the Tour at the head of Tawasentha lake. 

Another romantic walk is \Voodbine path, which passes 
over Indian lake bv a rustic bridge. Evergreen path on the 
South ridge is the longest straight path on the grounds 
and passes man\' prominent objects. The principal walks 
are over live miles in extent ; ami it is possible to wander for 
at least thirty miles without traversing all the streets and 
lanes of this Silent Citv. 



92 THE ALIiAXV RURAL CEMETERY. 

THE SOUTH RIDGE. 



We arc at the eastern entrance. Passino- the lodye, and 
taking the lirst narrow pathwav or the lirst earriaye road 
to the left (it does not matter which ), we heyin the ascent. 
Vcrv appropriateh' our tirst pause is at the HilUiouse lot 
(Sec. 4), Suinmerside avenue leadiny- to the left and 
Mount Wa\' to the rij^ht. Here, on a i)rett\', oreen, shaded 
slope, is buried Thomas Hillhouse, to whom liclonged a 
large portion of the lanil originallv bought for the Cemeterv. 
and now known as the South ridge. He had lieen dead 
ten wars when the Cemeterv was opened, and the ]iropertv 
was purchased vt his heirs. His son John (who is also 
buried here) was one of the Cemetery's first surveyors, and 
this lot was his selection. His father's remains were 
brought here and the monument to him was the first 
granite placed on the grounds. 

The grade of Summerside avenue is rather steep, but 
whoever climbs it will tind the grave of one man who 
shoukl not be forgotten as long as Albany remains a city — 
its painstaking, labor-loving, unrequited anti(]uarian and 
historical publisher, a delver among old records, old news- 
papers and old graveyards, a just man and a good printer — 
Joel Munsell (Sec. 4). 

Our course, however, is tt) the right up Mount ()livet. 
Sec. 3 contains several interesting and note-worth\- monu- 
ments : The brown stone of G. \'. S. Bleecker, the 
ijranite shafts of Moses Patten (surrogate t)f Albany county 



p-ASniOXS IN TOM I'.STC INKS. 93 

1840-4) -near at hand, and of Edward Lcametl in the 
corner ; and another ponderous shaft to the memory of 
Joel Rathbone, one of the founders of the stove firm of 
Rathbone, Sard <N: Company, and bearing; his medallion 
portrait (by Palmer), also the inscription: 

" He requested that these words might be inscribed on 
his monument, 'God so loved the world that he gave his 
only begotten son that whosoever believeth on Him should 
not perish, but have everlasting life.'" 

We shall find that inscriptions or ejMtaphs, other than 
the name and date of birth and death and occasionally a 
text of scripture, have, of late, ceased to be common. 
Whether their use went out with the marliles, which were 
so much easier to cut than granite, and for that reason. 
we can not sav. Hut there are fashions in tomb-stones as 
in other things less ephemeral. The pitiful representa- 
tions of lambs, and children, and miniature angels are 
no more called for to-day than are the winged faces 
found on the slabs of the eighteenth century. Italian 
marble itself is no longer used much, chiefly because 
it will not stand the climate. The red sandstone of New 
Jersey, so largelv in demand forty years ago. is obsolete, 
except "to match." This stone, which comes from near 
Newark, first was used in the erection of Trinity church. 
New York, and for a time was ultra-fashionable. It consists 
of quartz and mica united by an argillaceous cement and 
slightly colored with oxide of iron. It has not fulfilled the 
hopes of its admirers. Even Quincy granite has given way 
in this vicinitv to the more beautiful Westerly, which is 



94 '''It- Al.lIAXV KlKAl. CKMKTERV. 

now considered the most desirable of all g^rades of that 
stone, althouu'h tlu' \arious shades of Barre are popular 
with man\. 

Westot the Rathhonelot and near Meditation Widk which 
skirls the ylen, stands the simple stone commemorative of 
Rev. Dr. William 1>. vSprauue, l)orn i jgs. died ^^J^: hut witli 
nothinii" to indicate that he was fortv vears pastor of 
tlie Second Presl)\terian church in AHtan\' ; that liesides 
his yreat work in nine volumes. "The ^Vnnals of the 
American Pulpit," he was the author of more than a hun- 
dred published sermons, memoirs, addi^esses, books, etc., 
and that his collection of ncarlv 100,000 autographs was 
probablv the largest private collection of the kintl in the 
world. The State librar}' in Albanv is enriched by many 
of his gifts. 

The Gazelev stone is a cross and petlestal of Barre 
granite, bearing the sacred monogram. Higher up tiie 
knoll, the other side of the Gregory nmnument, is the 
Jared L. Rathbone memorial, designed after the tomb of 
Scipio. Mr. Rathbone was the hrst mavor of Albanv 
elected bv popular vote ( 1 839-40 ). 

Turning to the left up Mount Wav we jiass the James 
M. McClure lot, and next west of it the simple but taste- 
ful stone to George Curtis Treadwell with a palm 
gracefuUv carved on the solid granite. Mr. Treail- 
well was the founder of one of the largest tur houses in 
the I'nited States. He died in 1885 after a successful 
business career in Albanv ui over half a century. On the 
left is the Godard monument (4), and when the Tour is 



TIIK LEWIS BENEDICT IdT. 95 

reached we come to the elaborately carved marl)le pedestal 
in memorv of the four cliildren of ^Villiam H. 
DeWitt, and bearing: a fissure of Faith with her cross. 
The pretty little church of the Holy Innocents, in Albanv, 
is another tribute to the memory of these well-beloved 
oflFspring', Mr. De\Vitt ])urchasing the site and defraying 
the expenses of building that edifice. Nearlv opposite is 
the lot of Isaac W. Vosburgh (5), for manv vears a 
trustee of the Cemetery, as was also Mr. De\Vitt. 

Our wav here is to the right and on the brow of Mount 
Olivet, surrounded bv a fence, will be found the Benedict 
lot (3). in which are buried Lewis Benedict, father and 
son. The elder Benedict's monument and urn are of 
Italian marlile, with a medallion portrait by Palmer. He 
was an old Albanv merchant of high standing and public 
spirit. He died in 1862, two vears before his son and 
namesake, colonel of the i62d X. Y.. was killed in battle 
at Pleasant Hill, La., while commanding the 3d brigade, 
I St division, 19th army corps, in the Red River campaign. 
A granite sarcophagus of the Roman stvle. marks the 
soldier's grax'e. A sword and wreath of laurel are carved 
on the top with the words, "' Benedictus qui paiihir." His 
rank and the names of the battles in which he participated 
are inscribed on the sides. , Post Xo. 5, Grand Armv of 
the Republic, is named after this brave and worthy ofificer. 

Following now the Tour to the right we wind along the 
edge of the ravine where the little brook ripples its never 
ceasing song, passing many lots delightfully situated. On 
the left is a pyramid of granite six feet high to the Brown 



96 THE ALUAXV RURAL CEMKTKKV. 

family (5) and a jnllar in mcmorv of Matthew I. ITallen- 
beck. 

At a sharp curve in the Tour ( j; ) stands a i)lain, digni- 
fied, substantial monument of dark granite, erected in 
1885 by the trustees of the Cemetery, members of the 
Emmanuel Baptist church and other friends, to the Rev. 
Bartholomew T. Welch, D.D., b. 1794, d. 1870. "A 
Baptist preacher of rare eloquence and a public spirited 
citizen, to whose zeal this Cemetery owes its existence." 
On one side of the monument is the quotation: "Proclaim 
liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to 
them that are bound." Tliis is, no doubt, intended to 
suggest the love of liberty with which Dr. Welch was 
inspired, and which he avowed in times and places when 
and where to do so, was to bring upon his head the oppro- 
brium of being called "an abolitionist." \'ery likely the 
quotation refers to a scene which took place in Philadel- 
phia about the time of the breaking out of the rebellion; 
if so, it is slightly inaccurate, the wrong passage having 
been selected. It was at a national meeting of the Bap- 
tist denomination held in Chestnut street, alxiut op]iosite 
the old Independence hall. Feeling ran high; Dr. Welch 
had spoken of slavery in terms which were resented by 
some of the southern brethren, one of whom in reply 
closed by asking Dr. Welch what he would do with the 
institution of slavery, if he had the power? " Do! " ex- 
claimed tile doctor ; " Do ?" (for the third time, then point- 
ing to the historic old building where hangs the Liberty 
bell, and ciuoting with clarion voice its well-known inscrip- 




fik. 



r 




% 





RELIGION rilNSdl.INi; SORROW. 
[Page 133] 



THE (;RAVE of IIAkMANlS IILKECK KR. 9/ 

tion,) "Do? Proclaim liljcrtv throughout the land to all 
the inhabitants thereof," and took his seat amid great 
enthusiasm. 

Dr. Welch was pastor of the First Baptist church in 
Albany, from 182S till 1834, when 120 memliers forming 
a new church organization, he went with them and was their 
spiritual head till 1S48, thus giving to Albanv the best 
twent)' years of his life. 

Next west is the Friend Humjihrev marl)le monument, 
simple and in good taste, keeping alive the niemorv of a 
former Albany merchant of high character, who was mayor 
of the city in 1843-5, ^"'^1 t<'^49 -50- ("One of the best 
men I ever knew" — Thurlow Weed.) Opposite is the 
Dr. \'an Buren lot (5 ) and then the McCammon shaft of 
marble with wreath and urn ; also the Bruce monument. 

The freestone monument to Lemuel Steele commemo- 
rates a man who was for ten \'ears democratic alderman 
from the Fourth ward, for manv years chief engineer 
of the Albany fire department, and still longer director in 
the Mechanics and Farmers Bank. 

At the right, on the very edge of the rayine overlooking 
Consecration lake is seen the simple granite shaft to the 
memory of Harmanus Bleecker (3 ) who died July 19, 1849, 
leaving a legacy of $80,000 "to be applied in some judi- 
cious way to be permanently beneficial " to his native citv of 
Albany. The will, however, bequeathed all t(j his widow 
(afterward Mrs. Coster), there being simply an oral under- 
standing with her that when she was through with the 
property, it should be turned over to the city. With this 



gS Till-: ALBANY Kl'KAI, lEMETKRV. 

request she complird in the nidsl hoiKnalilr manner, on 
her removal to the Xetherlamls, iilaeinjj," the estate, mean- 
tiini', ikninu' her hfe, in tiust with the late Hon. John \'. 
L. I'nun, who at his death invested the late Hon. Amasa 
). Parkta- with the responsihilitw leavino- to him in tnrn, 
as the willow had left with Chaneellor Pnnn, the ehoice 
of olijeets to whit'h the estate shoidil he dex'oted. The 
widow died in 1S85, the property meantime haviny- 
amounted to fuUv $130,000, antl Judue i'arker, after ma- 
ttne deliberation, formulated a plan whieh residted in the 
erection of the noble pidilie hall whieh bears the name of 
a (jreat ]niblic benefact<ir, Ilarmanus Bleeeker. Mr. 
Uleeeker was an eminent lawver, a successful politician and 
was at one time minister to the llasjue. 

AntluMU' M. Strong', last of the original trustees of the 
Cemeterv whmlied Nov. iq, iSqi, is buried nearly ojjposite 
(3). A Gothic brown stone momurienl stands on the lot. and 
in the same enclosure will be found a marble lamb, which 
is interesting" as one of the earl\- efforts of Palmer, the 
sculptor. The Baker granite shaft is severely simple, and 
the Schoolcraft-.' ohnson marble is junelv Gothic. It was 
considered at one time one of the l)cst in the m'oumls. 
John L. Schoolcraft, t)nce prominent in public life, is 
buried here. He was a welbknown Alban\- merchant, a 
trustee of the Gemetery, and from 1854 to '60 president 
of the Gommercial liank. 1 le was a warm, personal friend 
of Tlunlow Weed, and his close political follower. He 



was twice elected to congress. 



A rustic cross springing from a pile of stones, ami bear- 



REV. HEXKV N. I'DHl.MAX. QQ 

ing a scroll with Scripture ([uotatit)n, perpetuates the 
memorv of John Innes Kane who died in Palermo, Italv, 
and his wife Marv, daughter of Leonard Kip. of New 
York. 

An iniiwsing granite monument hears the life-like 
medallion of Eli Perrv, the large-hearted mavor of Albany, 
and congressman, who died Mav 17, 18S1. He was also 
inspector of the penitentiarv, and bv a coincidence his 
memorial looks down upon the grave across the wav of 
Rev. David Dyer (3) for man\' vears chaplain and the 
author of a historv of that institution. 

The tomb of Stillman Witt, a Cleveland millionaire, 
stands at the head of the bridge crossing the ravine, which 
for the present we leave at the right and go up Glen Cross 
wav. The Henrv Newman and Hugh Ilumphrev lot (6) 
occupies a position at this jioint, and here the Reuel Clapp 
column, with its I-lg\'ptian ornamentation suggesting 
the lotus llower, will sureh' attract attention, if not 
admiration. Just west of it is the grave of Rev. Henrv N. 
Pohlman, "for fiftv-three years a faithful minister of 
Christ." He was one of the clergvmen who officiated at 
the consecration of the Cemeterv, being at that time pastor 
of the Lutheran church in Alban\", his native citv, to which 
he had just been called. He held that jiosition, beloved 
and respected for twenty-five yeans, and died in 1874. His 
grave is denoted bv a Latin cross. In the same lot is the 
grave of Lieut. W. H. Pohlman, who fell at Gettysburg, 
aged 22. He was a nephew of Rev. Dr. Pohlman, and 
his father, a missionarv, was munlered by pirates in China. 



lOO THE Al.IlAXV RURAL CEMETERY. 

Vouno; Pohlman was a student at Princeton, preparing 
for the ministr\', when the war i)r(jke out ; he entered the 
arni\- as a private and was adjutant of the sgth N. Y. when 
lie met his early death. 

Turniny l)ackward to the left and eastward along tiie 
Tour, the elai)orate Monteith and Howes marbles are seen ; 
a few steps further on the Davidson marhle monument, 
with its urns and draped casket, appears, and near Itv Mrs. 
Kate Hamilton's vine covered vault. In her will this 
woman directed that after her remains were locked in their 
last resting place, the lock should he filled with lead antl 
the kevs thrown into the Hudson river, which was done by 
her executors. .Vbsurd rumors got abroad that a large 
amount of monev was locked in with her, and not long 
afterward an attemi)t was made to resurrect it. One night 
in iS68 the lock was blown off and a brick wall, which the 
burglars ne.xt encountered, was broken through ; but when 
thev were inside the vault there was still a brick arch and 
a ponderous stone cofhn to penetrate, neither of which was 
disturbed. The tomb itself is poorly constructed and will 
very likelv have to be taken down before long. Mrs. 
Hamilton was the first to leave a fund fov the })erpetual 
care of her lot, and for this reason, if for no other, her 
remains will alwavs receive proper respect. 

Opposite is the W. \V. Crannell family lot (4) antl the 
Harrington granite shaft. Past the scpiare brown block of 
S. M. Fish ( 5 ) we see two tombs, one sandstone, of Artemas 
Fish, the t)ther, brick, of the \\in Benthuysen family. In 
the latter lie the remains of Obadiah R. \'an Benthuysen, 



THK VAN BENTHUVSEX TdMl!. lOI 

the first man to successfully apply steam jiowcr to the 
printing press in America. When the Cemetery was first 
laid out the choice of lots was sold to the highest bidder, 
and he was among the class allowed priority of choice. 
The last time he went out of the house was to avail him- 
self of the pri\ilege he had purehasetl, and he selected this 
spot. He is surrounded 1)\' the representatives of six gen- 
erations, among them his son Charles \^an Benthuvsen, 
who had been State and United States printer and for manv 
years a trustee and secretary of the Cemetery association. 

We come now to the handsome monument of James 
D. Wasson, one of the earlv expressmen, and postmaster 
in 1S4S ; and of "the beloved physician," Dr. Peter 
McNaughton. Next is that of Ira Jagger, the iron manu- 
facturer. A little in the rear is seen the lot of \\'illiam 
and Clark Durant, marked not only with a well shaped 
monument, i>ut 1)\' two massive crosses of polished granite, 
laid horizontally ujjon the graves and resting on granite 
frames filled with myrtle. 

Following the Tour southward and turning to the left 
we retrace steps already taken along the side of the glen 
till we reacn the (ilen Cross bridge at the right, anil cross- 
ing, note on the [u'ettv knoll which bears the name of 
Roseland Hill, the Wendell and X'anderjjoel lot (9 ). Here 
slec]) three of iVlbany's eminent physicians, Dr. Herman 
Wendell, Dr. S. O. Vanderpoel and Dr. Peter Wendell, 
the latter havmg practiced medicine in Albany for forty- 
two \ears, and at his death being regent and chancellor of 
the university of the state of New York. The following 



102 THE AI.UANV RL'RAL CEMKTKRV. 

inscription upon anotiier marlile shaft in the same lot tells 
its own stun' : 

The trustees 

of the 

All)any Rural Cemetery 

have directed this inscription 

to be made 

to commemorate the services 

of 

JOHN' I. WENDELL 

One of the early members 

of the board 

who gratuitously devoted 

his time 

and the energies 

of a cultivated mind and taste 

to improve and beautify 

these grounds 

until called by death 

to occupy a place 

at the foot of this column. 

Dr. \"anderpoel was surgeon-general of the state at the 
outbreak of the war, was inspector of hosjjitals for the 
sanitary commissit)n, and tor eight \'ears health-officer of 
the port of New York, to which citv he afterwards 
removed ( 1 88 1 ). In the same lot is buried Col. Lewis 
O. Monis, who was killeel at Cold Harbor, \'a., June 4, 
1864. The insignia on his stone are a cannon, a cross, a 
sword, sash antl accouterments. Post i 2 i, Cirand Army 
of the Republic, is named after this gallant soldier. 

Next west is the Stephen Paddock monument (9) of 



THE l.AUNITZ MARBLES. IO3 

granite, with urn, well proportioned, solid and substantial. 
Beyontl that Robert Dunlop's, of sandstone, bearing vine 
and clusters of grapes with the thistle of Scotland. Near 
by lies Robert Dunlop Lathrop, adjutant of the 159th 
N. v., killed in battle at Irish Bend, Bayou Teche, 
La., April 14, 1863, aged 22. His last words were: "It 
is all right if we conquer." 

In the ArehibaUl Mclntvre lot, carefully fenced, stands 
the granite monolith to Dr. James McNaughton, " for 
fifty-si.x vears a practicing" phvsician and surgeon in the citv 
of Albany, and for fiftv-three years a lecturer on medicine." 
He was born in Kenmore, Scotland, as the thistle indicates, 
in 1796, and died in Paris, June 11, 1874. Archiiiald 
Mclntvre (state comptroller i8o5 to 1821 ixnd an original 
Cemeterv trustee) and Rev. John McDonald, " fortv-two 
years a minister of the gospel." are buried in the same lot 
with a large and verv elaborate marble sarcophagus to 
mark the spot. The Gregory and Henderson monuments 
in the same enclosure are fine specimens of marble cutting 
bv R. E. Launitz of New Vork, a pupil of Thorwaldsen, 
and the first instructor of Thomas Crawford. He has been 
called the father of monumental art in America. Among 
his productions are the Pulaski monument in Savannah, 
the battle monument in I-'rankfort, the (ien. George H. 
Thomas monument in Troy, etc. The Henderson marble 
is crowned with a figure of Faith with an open Bible. 

To the right (11) is a monument to Edgar Cotrell, a 
well-remembered Albany merchant who died in 1S90, " So 
faithful, tender and unspoiled by fortune." The Stimpson 



I04 THE Al.llAXV KUKAI. CEMETERY. 

stone, the L. Sprague Parsons and the Warren lots are 
passed. Then we come to the artistically marked lot of 
Thomas S. and Robert P. Wiles. One of the stones is 
red, and l)ears a medallion portrait ; the other is light 
granite, and each terminates in a Greek cross. 

The Anna L. Armshy monument of sandstone is 
peculiar — an imitation of a stum|) of a tree, out of the 
top of which real vines are growing. 

On the Gideon Hawlev and Alfred \'an Santvoord lot 
(Sec. 9) a sandstone monument that shows traces of age 
is sacred to the memory of Col. Henry Ouackenbush, 
"who having lived the life, died the death of the righteous 
on the 2nd of Februarv, 181 3, aged 76." We learn further 
from the same unimpeachable source that Col. Ouacken- 
bush was with Lord Amherst at Ticonderoga, and with 
Gen. Gates at Saratoga, in the davs that tiicd men's souls. 
He was chairman of the Albany committee of safety, a 
member of the colonial legislature, and elector of presi- 
dent and vice-jiresident. A long list of relatives and 
descendants whose remains are said to be buried around 
him ends with "and Nancv his servant, a faithful slave." 

Across Roseland Wav, a little to the southwest (Sec. 12), 
is the granite monument to Dr. James H. Armshy, with a 
medallion portrait in bronze by John S. Hartley, a pupil 
of Palmer's. Dr. Armsliv was for many years a leading 
physician and surgeon in Albanv, and with Dr. March was 
the founder of the Albanv medical college, and of the 
Albanv hospital. The Dudley observatorv, ami in fact 
nearly everv ijublic institution which, durino' his long resi- 




O 



Huc;ii J. iiASTixcs. 105 

dence in Alhanv, appealed to pul)lic spirit, found in liim a 
liljcral friend. He was in an eminent de2:ree the patron 
of strugglino- art, and the scLdi)t()r Palmer has shown his 
appreciation of his friendship bv a memorial hust in Wash- 
ington park. Dr. Armshy was a trustee of the Cemetery. 
Back of the .\rmsl)V lot is the Howe-Rohinson monu- 
ment (Sec. 121 of polished Scotch granite with a female 
figure pointing upward. The James Morrow- Brown testi- 
monial (Sec. 8) is a marble monument with a niche in 
which is represented the pitcher broken at the fountain. 
The John and William Reid lot is also in Sec. 8, as is that 
of Jacob H. Ten Evck and William E. Bleecker. Just 
west of the Lloyd-McCaskie granite shaft (12) is the Hen- 
drickson-Meech lot, interesting in that it is the grave of 
Ilenrv T. Meech, for so manv vears proprietor and mana- 
ger of the old Albany museum, a quaint old figure in dra- 
matic historv, as utterly unlike the manager of the present 
dav as the mind can well imagine. The Robert Shepard 
shaft of red stone and the light granite sarcophagus of 
James Kidd are in the same section, as is also, although in 
a lot at the left, as we turn into Greenwood avenue, the 
Fred J. Barnard dark granite sarcophagus, in excellent 
taste. We pass the Sisson and the Mitchell shafts (13) the 
Moseley-Ainsworth (8) monument of light granite, then 
turn to the right, and there, marked with a handsome 
ofranite shaft bearing- a cross on the side, is the Hastings 
lot (40) in which is buried Hugh J. Hastings, best known 
of a large family of newspaper men, for many years editor 
of the Albany Knickerbocker, which he founded on a 

13 



I06 TIIK Al.IlANV KrUAI. (KM K IKK V. 

ca|)ital of $7.50, and afterwards of the New York Com- 
mercial Advertisci\ which he purchased in 1S67, and con- 
ducted till his death in 1883. 

The Chase stone opposite (38> is of the pink \Vcsterlv 
oranite and contrasts favorably with an\- art)und it. 

At the left, eastward, opposite the Del'orest niarhle 
shaft will be found the modestly marked <rraves of Ralph 
P. Lathro]) (39) for manv years internal revenue collector 
in this district, and near by that of Thomas Spencer Llovd 
whose music has lonu' been sunsj,' in hundreds of chinches, 
in this coimtrv and elsewhere. A simple headstone 
bears his autograph which will be regarded with more than 
passing interest 1)\" all who know an\thing of musical 
history in the United States. 

The Martin L. Cutler granite sarcophagus is here; also 
the South wick cottage monument of marble, recording the 
remo\'al of a number of bodies, in i Sb6. from Christie 
street, New \'ork, to this place. Still further cast, at the 
extreme entl of the section, is the L\'man l\oot plat, on 
which stands a large Ouincy granite obelisk, one of the 
most ponderous in the Cemetery, the single stone weigh- 
ing nirieteen tons. It was one of the first of this kind 
erected here, and b\- a pure accident is set exactly accord- 
ing to the cardinal points of the compass. 

Directly opposite (38) is the great boulder brought from 
Mount Hope to serve as a monument for Ezra P. Prentice. 
It is now covered with vines, and not particularlv notice- 
able, wliili' tasteful headstones have since been erected. 

Turning back, passing around the Alexander Creer mon- 



Ilk. JACdll S. MOSHEK. lO/ 

ument (39) and ytMiiu; tlown through Cold Spring Dell, \vc 
comi'in section 37 to oik- of the tallest and most graceful 
monuments on the grounds, that of James and Ezra G. Bene- 
dict. It is of light granite, artisticallv cut from base to apex. 

Along the Tour is noticed the lot of the present super- 
intendent, Mr. J. I'. Thomas (38), where is hurled his 
fathei', Hurton A. Thomas, for thirtv-two vears the engineer 
of the Cemeter\\ whieii is largelv indebted lo him, as well 
as to his son, for man\' of its beauties. The Avery Elerrick 
lot is neatly marked with modest light-colored headstones, 
on which the lettering is jiarticularlv ])lain. Next is the 
dark-colored stone of Dayton Ball. 

At the right stands the granite shaft to the memory of 
Amos Pilsbury (36), for man\- vears keeper of the Albanv 
penitentiarv, a man who made the welfare of the unfor- 
tunates committed to his care a constant study. 

Turn to the right, and in the same section is the lot of 
Paul Cushman, with a hanilsome v'ariegated granite sar- 
cophagus, in the hnm of a cross, and two granite cresses. 
Opposite, across Fern avenue, marked with a cross of 
granite, is the grave {^y) of Dr. Jacob S. xMosher, who.se 
sudden death, in the prime of life and usefulness, shocked 
the community in 18S3. He was surgeon-general of the 
state undi'r Governor Hoffman, and from 1S70 to 1S76 was 
deputy health and executive officer of the port of New 
York. His tact, his suavitv, his keen ])ercei)tive faculties 
and his sympathetic temperament made idm one of the 
most popular physicians Alban\' e\'er had. 

The Jones-Northruii monument stands in this section. 



lo8 rilK AI.ISANV kCRAI, IKMKTERV. 



A FOREST NOOK. 

" A nook within the forest: overhead 

The branches arclj, and shape a pleasant bower. 

Breaking white cloud, blue sky and sunshine bright 

Into pure ivory and sapphire spots, 

And flecks of gold ; a soft, cool, emerald tint 

Colors the air, as though the delicate leaves 

Emitted self-born light. What splendid walls 

And what a gorgeous roof carved by the hand 

Of cunning Nature 1 Here the spruce thrusts in 

Its bristling plume, tipped with its pale green points: 

The scalloped beech leaf and the birch's cut 

Into fine ragged edges interlace, 

While here and there, through clefts, the laurel lifts 

Its snowy chalices half brimmed with dew. 

As though to hoard it for the haunting elves 

The moonlight calls to this their festal hall. 

A thick, rich, grassy carpet clothes the earth, 

Sprinkled with autumn leaves. The fern displays 

Its fluted wreath, beaded beneath with drops 

Of richest brown ; the wild rose spreads its breast 

Of delicate pink, and the o'erhanging fir 

Has dropped its dark long cone. 

"The scorching glare 
Without, makes this green nest a grateful haunt 
For summer's radiant things- the butterfly 
Fluttering within and resting on some flower, 
Fans his rich velvet form ; the toiling bee 
Shoots by, with sounding hum and mist-like wings; 
The robin perches on the bending spray 
With shrill, quick chirp ; and like a flake of fire 
The redbird seeks the shelter of the leaves. 
And now and then a flutter over head 
In the thick green, betrays .some wandering wing 
Coming and going, yet concealed from sight. 
A shrill, loud outcry— on yon highest bough 



I.\ GREEXLEAF FOREST. 1 09 

Sits the gray squirrel, in his burlesque wrath 

Stamping and chattering fiercely : now he drops 

A hoarded nut, then at my smiling gaze 

Buries himself within the foliage. 

The insect tribe are here: the ant toils on 

With its white burden ; in its netted web, 

Gray glistening o'er the bush, the spider lurks, 

A close crouched ball, out darting as a hum 

Tells its trapped prey, and looping quick its threads 

Chains into helplessness the buzzing wings. 

The wood-tick taps its tiny muffled drum 

To tlie shrill cricket-fife, and swelling loud. 

The grasshopper its swelling bugle winds. 

Those breaths of Nature, the light, fluttering airs, 

Like gentle respirations come and go, 

Lift on its crimson stem the maple leaf. 

Displaying its white lining underneath. 

And sprinkle from the tree-tops golden rain 

Of sunshine on the velvet sward below. 

Such nooks as this are common in the woods: 

And all these sights and sounds the commonest 

In Nature when she wears her summer prime. 

Yet by them pass not lightly: to the wise 

They tell the beauty and the harmony 

Of even the lowliest things that God hath made. 

That His familiar earth and sky are full 

Of His ineffable power and majesty: 

That in the humble objects seen too oft 

To be regarded shines such wondrous grace, 

The art of man is vain to imitate : 

That the low flower our careless foot treads down 

Stands a rich shrine of incense delicate. 

And radiant beauty : and that God hath formed 

All, from the cloud wreathed mountain to the grain 

Of silver sand the bubbling spring casts up, 

With deepest forethought and severest care. 

And thus these noteless, lovely things are types 

Of His perfection and divinity." 



IIO THE ALHAXV KURAI. CKMETERV. 

In such a nook, amid tlic sliadc and sunshine which 
chase each other throusi'h Grecnleaf r^)icst, without so 
much as a headstone to mark the spot, sleeps the author 
of the foregoing lines, .Alfred Billings Street. It is a 
jilacc he would have loved ; in all the Ccmctcrv of whose 
consecration he was the poet, there is no restiny- place 
which would have better suited his gentle fancy, his unoh- 
trusive nature. The trees, the flowers, the insects, the 
hirds which he painted with such Meissonier-like patience 
antl lulclitv, are all about, while the great world for which 
he cared but little, and but little cared for him, is tvpified 
in the glimpse of smoking industi-ies seen in the distance. 
It is true he stutlied law, and wrote a massive tome of 
political biography; for a while he found in the care of the 
state librarv a congenial pursuit, but it is as a j)oet that he 
lived his life, and as a poet he will be remembered, b\- the 
few who apjireciate his svmpathetic hdelitv to the minutia 
of natural objects as thev fell under the observation of a 
mind which found its ehiet inspiration in tlu' truths of 
Nature. The lot where he is buried can be located by a 
pine tree on which is a verv matter-of-fact signboartl bear- 
inu" the words "(ireenleaf Forest." 



The Van Vechten lot (36) is well situated at the corner 
of Fern and Prospect avenues. It contains a granite 
Latin cross mounted upon a high pedestal of the same 
material, and is the resting ])lace of Abraham and iiis 
nephew Tennis \"an \^eciiten, once ])rominent members of 



Tin-; TRKMAIX LOT. I I I 

the leo;al iirofcssion in this state. The former was recorder 
of Albany, state senator, attorne\^-general and meml)er of 
the constitutional convention of 1821. Me died in 1837. 
His grandson and namesake is a trustee of the Cemetery 
association. Tennis Van A\'ehten was mavor of Albany in 
I S3 7-9, and again in 1841-2. 

Opposite, sleeps another mayor of Albany, Edmund L. 
Judson (35) who lilled the office from 1874 to 1876. He 
was a much respected citizen and stood high in the Masonic 
order, as well as in the esteem and conhdcnce of all who 
knew him. 

Keeping to the right along Prospect avenue we come 
to the Tremain lot i^,^) where rests the Hon. Eyman 
Tremain, who died m 1878, after having been attorney- 
general, congressman-at-large, speaker of the assembly, and 
one of the most eminent criminal lawyers in the state. 
His monument is a granite cross on a daik-colored granite 
pedestal. Beside him lies his son. Col. Frederick L. Tre- 
main, who fell at the head of his regiment at Hatcher's 
Run, Va., I^ebruary 4, 1865, "in the great conflict for 
freedom and the union." His monument is of marble, 
draped, and surmounted with a soldier's cap. Here also 
is another son, Grenville Tremain. a \-oung and promising 
lawyer, whose sudden deatli in 1877 unquestionably 
hastened that of his father. 

A beautiful granite cross, with i\y, and a loftv granite 
shaft mark the lot in which rejioses Archibald AlcClure, a 
n()i)le hearted, devoted, philanthrojiic Christian gentleman, 
to whose benefactions manv an Albanv institution is the 



112 THE ALBANY RURAL CEMETERY. 

grateful debtor. Another eross, with links of bronze, 
further adorns this lot. 

The Peter Monteith monument in this seetion stands for 
the grave of another well-remembered merchant. The 
circular lot ( 34 ), a little to the right, is that of D. D. T. 
Charles, recently deceased, and as vet has no monu- 
ment. Opposite is the noble granite obelisk of Douglas 
L. White ( 34 ) tastefully surrounded with granite acces- 
sories. The approach is between two granite urns, well 
proportioned anil in good taste. The headstones in the 
lot are in admirable keeping with tiie main feature. 

Bending south between the Monteith shaft and the S. 
H. Cook pillar we come to the Jefifers ( 34 ) column of red 
Scotch granite, and next to it the well chosen but unmarked 
lot of Mr. Erastus D. Palmer, the sculptor, whose genius, 
more than that of any other man, has made both famous 
and beautiful this Cemetery, of which he is a trustee. 

The Boyd lot, with marble copings, is in section 35. The 
\'an Wormer granite figure of a female with wreath of 
flowers and the massive granite urn of Hugh White are 
east of the Boyd lot. The "twin brothers" monument to 
Drs. Robert and Alexander Nelson is seen in t,i,, nearly 
opposite a similar shaft to James Wilson in 35. The 
Nelson brothers were dentists of excellent reputation, long 
resident in Albany and much esteemed. 

Looking to the right along Groveside avenue we note 
Horace B. Silliman's handsome cottage monument in 34 ; 
and not far distant the Lord cross with anchor at the base, 
and the Mellick sarcophagus of dark granite; then tlie 




VAN VEOliEN. 
[I'agi- 111).] 



VIEW FROM PROSPECT HILL. II5 

cruciform memorial (in the lot of Hon. Abraham Lansinsf, 
one of the Cemeterv tru.stees. Opposite ( 2,3 ) are the 
moniunents of Hiram Livinjjston and of LeGrand Ban- 
croft. Mr. Bancroft was a partner in the law firm of 
which the late Henry vSmith and Nathaniel C. Moak were 
the other members. He died in 1880. 

Witiiout iiursLiinu- Groveside avenue an\' further, turning 
hack we find ourselves on I^'rospect hill, where, and in the 
immediate vicinity, wealth has been lavished with unspar- 
iny- hands in the decoration of a s|)ot which, from its 
eminence and the views afforded, is to manv persons the 
most attractive in all the Cemeterv. 

Nearlv everv lot will repay careful examination, although 
some of the monuments are simple in their massiveness. 
Of these is the one on the circular lot 1321 of the l^iny 
famih', commemorating Rufus II. King and wife, and 
their son Col. Henrv L. King. Rufus H. King who died 
in .Vlbanv in 1867, aged 73, was president of the Albanv 
Savings Bank, the New York State National Bank, and the 
Albanv Insurance Companv, jiositions which well denote 
his prominence as a banker and a businessman. To his 
memory there is now erecting in W^ashington park, a 
costly fountain for which oi)ject $20,000 was left by his 
son, Col. Hcnrv L. King who is also burietl here. 

A wide expanse of countrv is visible here. The 
view eastward is circumscribed onlv bv the hills of New 
Enafland manv miles distant risinar against the sk\' in dim 
outline. A little nearer the productive farms of Rens- 
selaer countv turn their green faces to the fructifviny sun. 



1 l6 TIIK Al.r.AXV KIKAI. CKMF.TKUV. 

More woodlaiul than seems likeh' so near s^reat eities adds 
its darker screen to the pieture. The slope to the ri\'er is 
at interxals <h\ideil hv ravines throuoh whieh we know 
little hi'ooksare sinyinsj,' merrih'. W'liite farm-honses mark 
the location ol happN' homes. Id the left the ij,'reat iron- 
works of 'rro\ and \icinitv are e\olvinLi- clouds ol smoke, 
blue, Mack and yrav. The rich liottom lands of the Hud- 
son with their market yartiens arc almost at our feet. 
Steamers lilidc up and tlown the ri\er; canal hoats creep 
tlirouyh tiieir narrow course-wa\' ; loeomoti\es with oreat 
trains ol fiei>i"ht and passeny'crs rush madl\" on, hut the 
noise docs not dis(juiet us. In thisgarden of mortalitvthe 
Hvin:^' arc almost as much at rest as the dead, the workl so 
near at hand seems for the moment so far awa\'. 

At the left. lookin_cj tt)ward the ri\er. is the uranite shalt 
to Danit'l W'cidm.m (32), an .Vli>an\" wholesale merchant ; 
still furthci' to the left the A\ei\- and .VrnoKI monument 
(36) with female fiii'urc, and the simple luit impressive 
shaft of M. \'. 15. Bull. 

To the riyht of Weidman, and in this vicinitv (32), mav 
he seen the foUowinu" named menmrials, all of which 
will lie found worth\- of admiration : The marhlc shaft to 
Dr. jose|ih Xorthrup and Daniel Kctchum ; the oianite 
shaft to ('hailes \V. Kclle\ : tlie granite cross of V. \V. 
\'osl>i.n;.;h ; the uranite sarcophayus to Nathan D. Wendell, 
a former count\" treasurer : the 1 lcnr\" Russell monument 
with its In'autiful femak' li^au'c : the Mineli. ( "iieever, 
Daniel W. W'cmple, Sand and \'an Rensselaer monu- 
ments : tlie ("enter Scotch pillar under a wce])inu" willow ; 







DOUGLAS I,. WHITE. 
[Page 112.J 



THE SCIIUVLEK MUXU.MENT. Ilg 

the cruciform granite sarcophagus of Samuel Schuyler, of 
towboat celebrity ; Dr. Cox's oblong block of beautifully 
polished granite ; Edward J. Larrabee's block of uncut 
granite, six feet square ; the Isaac 1. Chapman cottage 
monument with cross and pillar of Scotch granite ; Luther 
M. Palmer's cottage granite with urn ; the Ambrose B. 
Coates monument ; the light-colored granite sarcophagus 
of IDouglas ; the massive granite sarcophagus of Joseph 
Russell; the Towner memorial in excellent taste; the 
Nathan B. Perry sarcophagus (29) ; the William \V. Reed 
granite shaft; the James B. Sanders monument (29) 
crowned with an angelic figure bearing the trum]iet of 
the resurrection. 



The noble column to the memory of Gen. Philip 
Schuyler (29^ demanils more than a passing notice because 
of the man whom it commemorates. It is a Doric column 
thirtv-six feet in height, bearing only his name, date of birth 
at Albany, November 22, 1733, and death, November 18, 
1804, and the fact that it was erected to his memor\- bv his 
granddaughter in 1870. The lot is surrountled with gianite 
coping, and at each of the four corners is a centurv plant. 

Gen. Schuyler was a prominent figure in colonial historv. 
At the age of 22 he was commander of a companv 
which took part in the battle of Lake George, and he 
serv'ed in various capacities during the French and Indian 
war which followed. After the peace of i 763 he managed 
his large private business, which included transporting 



I20 THE Al.n.VNV klRAl, I KM K rKK\-. 

tinilicr from his estate in Samtou;;!. to New \'oik, and tin' 
establishment of the first llax-mill liuih in this countiv. 
He rejiresenteil .\lhan\- in tin- colonial assrniMw and was 
a dclegatt' to tin' continental congress of 1775, In which 
he was ai>|iointeil one of foui" major-yenefals, and was 
assiijned li\' Washington to the command of the northern 
district of \ew \ ork. ( )n aceounl of ill health he traiis- 
fcrri'd the command to Cicn. ixichard Montgomcrx', who 
fi'll at ()ueliec in the Canadian invasion, (ien. Sclui\lei" 
was actixe in the war of the ixexohilion, ')Lit he and (ien. 
Horatio (iates diil not agree and there was a long conllict 
between them, which did not end till Schn\ ler had been 
tried upon charges preferred b\" (lates, and ac(|uitted with 
honor, b\- court-martial. He was with the armv till the 
surrender of Burgovne. He served several terms as state 
senator, ami was one of the first two of New N'ork's senators 
in congress, Rufus King being tlu' otiu'r. 'Flic paternitv of 
the New ^'ork canal svstem is claimed for him. His resi- 
dence in Alban\' was the Schuvler niLinsion, at the head of 
Sehuvler street, which house for fort\' \ears was distin- 
guished for its hospitalitv, numbering among its guests 
Benjamin Franklin, Gen. Burgovne and (ieii. Lafavette, 
and there the l)odv of Lord Howe was taken after his 
death at Ticonderoga. Gen. Schuvler was at first buried 
in a xault in .\lbanv. Fhat his remains might iiave been 
k)St and forgotten altogether, is clearh' shown b\- the fol- 
lowing letter preliminarv to their linal disposal : 




Gen. Scluivler's Monument. 



MRS. MII.I.Kk's letter. 12 1 

Rhinkhkck, N. Y., August 27, 1869. 
Thdmas W. (Ji.cdri, Esq., 

Di'ar Sir: — Permit me to address these few lines to you on a sub- 
ject of exceeding interest to myself. At the funeral of the late 
Patroon Van Rensselaer I found, to my amazement, that the old 
family vault had been broken up, and to my greater surprise and 
regret learned that ttie contents had all been removed, without the 
slightest intimation to any member of our family; that metallic 
cases or bo.^ies had been prepared for the crumbling coffins, and 
that in one of these the remains of Gen. Schuyler, his wife and son, 
John Bradstreet Schuyler, had been placed, and interred in the 
Van Rensselaer lot, a few feet from their centre monument, without 
note or mark as to the spot, save in the diagram of the lot! Hav- 
ing subsequently ascertained the truthfulness of this statement and 
having waited a proper time before bringing the subject to the 
notice of the family, permission has been given to disturb their lot 
in order to remove these sacred remains to a suitable place. 

And now, with the above explanation, I proceed to express the 
object of this note addressed to you as president of the board of the 
Albany Cemetery. As the granddaughter of Gen. Schuyler, I do 
most earnestly desire that a plat of ground should be presented by 
the board of trustees as a tribute of respect to the memory of Gen. 
Schuyler, upon which lot I may erect a handsome and appropriate 
monument, and by this united action preserve to succeeding gener- 
ations both the name and place where rest the remains of this great 
and good man of revolutionary fame. 

In making known to ycju my wishes, I am actuated by the one 
desire to do the greatest honor to Gen. Schuyler, to have the pres- 
tige of a gift of respect to his memory, and, as it were, a voluntary 
expression from citizens of his native city and birth-place to his 
patriotic worth; and, if I am not mistaken, this opportunity will 
be cordially accepted, and the beautiful Cemetery will add another 
object of interest to the admiring public. 

With respect, allow me to subscribe myself 

Yours truly, 

M.A.KY R. Miller. 

(Mrs. W. Starr Miller, Rhinebeck, N. Y.) 
15 



122 THE ALBANY KL'N'AI CEMETERY. 

At tlu' annual mcctiuii' (>t ''i*' trustees held in lanuaiY, 
1870, the toUowinsi' resohuions offered 1>\' |iulye Ira 
Harris were adopted : 

The name and the fame of Gen. Philip Scliuyler have become his- 
toric. The memory of no one of the illustrious dead, whose virtues 
cir whose valor have lent histre to the early annals of Altjany, is 
more rightly revered. In the darkest days of the revolution his 
steady faith in the cause of liberty never faltered, and ever ready 
was his response to the call of his country, with his purse, his sword 
and his services. In the cause which he espoused he deemed no 
sacrifices too great. Personal wrongs were endured in silence, 
unjust criticism, most galling when directed against the professional 
conduct of a soldier, earnest, loyal, skilled in arms, evoked from 
him no indignant response; flagrant injustice, displayed in the 
most offensive form, could not for a moment provoke him to intrude 
upon the public his private wrongs while his beloved country was 
in danger. But in heroic silence as to self this true patriot, this 
loyal soldier marched grandly onward to his duties, "stifling his 
resentment until his country was in safety," and if perchance he fell 
upon the battlefield leaving to posterity his vindication. Nobly 
has he been vindicated 1 

In the dim galleries of the past, where now hang the portraits 
which commemorate the good, the gifted and the brave who 
"pledged their lives, their fortunes and their honor" to the cause 
of liberty in the stormiest days of the American Reve>lution, no one 
more deservedly challenges admiration than does that of him who 
only asks of us a grave. Among all those grand actors in the 
heroic history of our country, whose shadowy outlines are now but 
faintly visible through the smoke of revolution and the haze of an 
intervening century, surely none should be more proudly recognized 
by the citizens of Albany than Gen. Philip Schuyler. 

A statesman, a hero, a patriot, he has consecrated our ancient 
city, and has bequeathed to this home of his childhood the rich 
heritage of his manhood's fame. It is fitting then that his memory 
should be cherished by the institutions of the country which he 
loved so well and for whose prosperity he had sacrificed so much. 

It is eminently fitting that this heaiitifnl city of the dead, so near 



THE (-(IKXINC; I'LAT. I 23 

to the home where he dwelt while living, and where slumber the 
descendants of friends and neighbors who stood shoulder to shoul- 
der in the contest of the past, should furnish for his remains a rest- 
ing place; and it is, therefore, hereby unanimously 

Resolved, That as a tribute of respect to the memory of Gen. 
Philip Schuyler, by the trustees of the Albany Cemetery Associ- 
ation, a suitable plat of ground be selected within the grounds of 
the Cemetery in which may be deposited the mortal remains of 
Gen. Philip Schuyler of revolutionar)- fame. 

Resolved, That such lot, when selected, be dedicated and set 
apart foi such purpose, and that notice thereof be communicated to 
such of his descendants as may be desirous to erect thereupon a 
monument to commemorate his name and to direct the footsteps of 
true pilgrim worshipers of valor to the grave where " a hero sleeps." 

Resoh'ed, That the selection of a plat of ground suitable for such 
be referred to Mrs. W. Starr Miller and the standing committee of 
the Cemeter)', who are hereby appointed a special committee for 
such purpose. 

Resolved, That these proceedings be published and a copy sent to 
Mrs. Miller of Rhinebeck, X. V. 

By order of the Board. 

Tho.mas W. Olcott, 

Charlks \'ax Bknihuvsen, President. 

Secretary. 

Albany, January 11, 1870. 



The Cornino- plat (31 ) is tix' larirest private propertv in 
the Cemeterv. It is circuhir in form and is the crown 
of Prospect hill. The (jreat cruciform hronze sarcojihajjus 
is in memorv ol Erastus Corninij, the elder, one of Alhanv's 
most distinguished merchants and capitalists, to which 
position he rose from a i)oor hov who sold oranges in the 
streets of Tnn'. Mr. Corning was the first president of 
the New York Central railroad ; he was director and a larg-e 



124 •I'lIK Al.l'.AXV KURAI. rE.METEKV. 

stockluiUk'r in the Michiijan Central, antl direetor and one 
of the originators of the ("hicasjo, Burlington and (Jiiiney. 
He was ma\'or of the citv of Allian\-, a reyenl and \ice- 
chanceUor of the state board of regents, antl a meinher of 
congress for three terms. He died April 9, 1S72. His 
son and namesake, Hon. Erastus Corning, is the third and 
jMesent presitlent of the Albanv Cemeterv association. 

The massive polished granite cross on this k)t is to the 
memorv of Gertrude Tihhits Corning. On the arms are 
inscribed •' I '/a L/iir/s." on the upright, " I 'ia Cr//c/s." 
Beautiful trees adorn this most sightlv lot in the ("emetery. 

The granite monument of Dr. Alexander Thompson 
(29), excellent of its kind, is near here, and furthei' along, 
on Mount Auhiun avenue, is the Daniel S. Lathrop tomb 
of granite, lighted with illuminatetl windows. Mr. Lathrop, 
the son of Dver Lathrop, was a well-known business man 
of Albanw who died in 1883. He was a member of the car- 
wheel manufacturing firm of George H. Thacher & 
Co.. and Hon. ]ohn Bovd Thacher has written a 
graceful tribute to his meniorx. Mr. Lathrop was a 
trustee of the Cemetery. 

The Pru\n lot (30) attracts the admiring attention of 
all who appreciate refinement and good taste. liesides 
the beautiful headstones which ti'iniinate in crosses, there 
are two ample and most beautiiulb' lettered taidets of red 
Scotch granite placed horizontally over the giaves of Gen. 
and Mrs. Robert Hewson Pruvn. (ien. Pru\n served 
in the \arious capacities of corporation counsel, member 
and also speaker of the assemblw adjiUant-general, and 



THK ANGEL nF THE SEPL'HIIKE. 1 25 

United States minister to Jajjan. He played an important 
part in Eastern diplomacy and in securing American rights 
in the land of the tvcoon and the mikado. Mr. Pruvn 
was ]M'esident of the New Vork state constitutional con- 
vention of 1872, and at the time of his death, Fel)ruarv 
26, 1882, was president of the National Commercial Hank 
of Alhany. 
The Maurice E. \'iele plat has as yet no monument. 



It is the generally accepted o])ini()n that in Palmer's 
Angel of the Sepulchre mortuary art has reached the 
highest ileveloi)ment which it has attained in anv age or 
in any country, and this idea has made the Alhanv Rural 
Cemetery a Mecca to which ])ilgrim lovers of the beautiful 
journey from afar with ex])ectant eves and eager anticipa- 
tions. 

They are never disappointed. 

It is not to be e.xpected, of course, that anv ideal crea- 
tion will be interpreted by all alike, and there is a differ- 
ence of opinion as to the expression to be read in the 
Angel's face similar to that heard in the observations upon 
the Sistine Madonna, or in the commentaries ui)on the 
character of Hamlet; but in all three instances the intelli- 
gent critic realizes that he is contemi)lating a sublime 
masterpiece of creative art. 

To begin with : The theme was worthv of the artist. 
Read your Bible through and between its litis where is the 
incident or passage recorded, not merelv so full of promise. 



126 THE ALBANY RLKAl. (I-IMKTEKV. 

l)Lit SO ovcrwhclmino; in its assurance of the Christian's 
hope of inimorlaHtv as the one here rejiresented ? In the 
hour of tlie deepest o;loom, wiien e\en the hodv of their 
Lord seemed lost to them forever, hehold the Hea\'enlv 
visitant ap|)ears to the weeping women anil thrills iheir 
souls with the (juestion and declaration which from that 
hour ha\e lung down the ages, tlie most welcome words 
that e\er reaciietl a stricken mourni'r's heart: 

" \Vh\- seek ve the living among the dead ? 

He is not here, but is risen." 

Of all texts of Scripture this sureh' is the most appro- 
priate for inscriiition above the remains of those whom we 
have loved and lost. Forever and forever the great truth, 
so full of comfort, gathers fresh meaning and new force 
with e\'er\' closing coffin, with e\er\' munded grave. 

For the sculptor it was an insjjiration. How should it 
be embodied? 

If anv one will recall the art of twent\"-tive vears ago he 
will recognize the fact that angelhoi)d liad become singu- 
larl\' demoralized. An angel meant a female figure, of 
course — much siiiritualized, of course, and weakened 
accordinglv, till there was little left but sloping shoulders, 
ll.it chjst, a featureless face, impossible wings and a Grecian 
gown. So tlrmlv impressed had this idea of an angel 
become uj)on men who ought to ha\e known better, that 
a distinguished divine who happened in at the studio where 
Mr. Palmerwasat work, actualK' took him to task for rej)- 
resenting an angel in the shape of a man, and incautinush' 
asked for his authority. The reply was that there was no 



THE AXCEI. OK THE SEPULCHRE. 12/ 

inspircti authoritN' for anvthiny else; tliat from the ano;el 
who wrestled all nioht with the patriarch Jacob to the 
anfrel seen standini; in the sim iw the evangelist John, 
there is not a woman in all the heavenlv throng. And of 
this angel in particular (if, as is allowahle, we adopt a 
harmonized \ersion of the four gospels), it is saitl " ///> 
countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as 
snow, and for fear of /inii the keepers did (juake and 
become as dead men." 

Here then was the idea; an angel, a man angel; a celes- 
tial man! The original design of a tigure suggested 
altiiough not specihed by the terms of the contract, "not 
less than four feet hiyh," was thrown aside, and instead of 
a girl, and insteail of a dwarf, there was to be a superb 
being seven feet in stature. The stone which was such a 
mountain to the women, he has rolled away from the 
mouth of the tomb and has just seated himself upon it — 
alighted, woukl seem the proper word, so full of airy 
grace is the pose; the two Marys approach, Marv Magda- 
lene, the most cruelly slandered woman in all human 
history — and tiie other Mary. Before their white lips can 
syllable a single word the \'ision pr()]>ounds the (piestion : 
"Why seek ye the living among the dead ?" and again, 
before they can collect their scattered senses he adds the 
amazing declaration: " He is not here, but is risen." 

One can imagine the wondrous scene in the breakinar 
dawn of that first Lord's day morning on the hills of 
Palestine — the odor of the forgotten spices mingling with 
the fragrance of the unheeded flowers, as in the garden of 



128 TIIF. AI.HAXV RTRAI. (KMF.TF.KV. 

tlie resurrection the two women. •' last at the eross, now 
first at the sepulchre," with clasped hands and transfixed 
eyes, drink in the beatific x'ision. 

The face of the Andrei is of wondrous heautv — cthcrial- 
ized, l>ut stranuelv and stronyly human — with an intel- 
lectual hrow. a forceful nose, full lovinu" lips, an exquisitely 
moulded chin — a face embodyino- the strenijth of a trod 
with the tenderness of wt)man, and throusrh all, shininii' 
the ,ul(M-\' of eternal vouth. unsullied liNcare, unspotted by 
sin — a face that has looked unscathed upun the t^Unv ot the 
Infinite. The primarv meaning of the word angel is sug- 
g-ested 1)\- such a face — it is that of a Messenijer, and a mes- 
senger of the Most High, bringing tidings, the immense sig- 
nificance of which he is fullv and symjiatheticallv aware. 
Such an errand is nt)t entrusted to a weakling; there must 
be power behind it, jjower to convey, to enforce, to con- 
vince ; and ])ower in noblest form is written in a face as 
strong as imagination can conceive, and still retain 
the harmonious beautv of the features. 

The position is no more careless than it is studied. One 
unshod foot is advanced a little below and farther than the 
other ; the hands, shapely and beautiful, are naturally placed, 
one palm downward ujion the knee, the other clenched and 
pressed hard against the leg, denoting the intensity of 
interest which the messenger himself feels in the great 
mission on which he is sent. As is the case in all the 
works of Michael Angelo, there is nothing detached, no 
finger pointing upwards, to be broken off by accident. 
The single garment is a marvel of grace, seamless and unili- 




The Angel of the Sepulchre. 

[By pfriii)8inon of Ei-a,stiis l>o%v rainier.] 



TIIK ANGEI, OF TirK SI-:r'UI,( IIRE. I 29 

vidcd, caujrht under the neck and falling over a form 
anatomically as perfect as the Apollo Belvidere. Every 
detail is exquisitelv carved, even to the nails upon the 
toes. The hair, long and Howing, is jxirted on one side, 
and falls hack Lipon the shoulders from a iiead (|uite 
unequalled in modern sculpture. The throat is full and 
rounded; the neck like a column of ivory. Most wonder- 
ful of all is the management of the wings which seem as 
much in place as arms or legs, while their feathery light- 
ness is an efifect in marl)le almost incredihle. 

It is a curious optical delusion that the figure seems 
smaller when close to it, than it does at a distance, l)ut 
n<nvhere does it appear to he as large as it really is — the 
result of its harmonious proportions. 

The London Art Jo2irnal ( 1871 ), in connection with a 
steel engraving of this statue, said : 

" The figure is of heroic size, and is a production of great artistic 
power. Exception may, perhaps, be taken to the face as too stern, 
and not angelic, and yet is it grand in expression and very beautiful. 
He is seated on the stone in an attitude of dignified repose, 
his flowing locks reaching down over the upper portion of the 
wings, and his entire form covered b}^ a garment disposed in its 
folds and setting with remarkable grace. There is no conventional 
treatment here; it is the outcome of an original and earnest mind, 
a statue which the greatest living sculptor might acknowledge with 
pride as his own." 

A work of art like this belongs to no one man, to no 
community, to no country — it belongs to the world, and 
the world has too few such treasures not to prize it as it 
deserves. 



16 



130 THE Al.BAXV KUKAI. CEMETERY. 

East of the Antjel is the handsome, costly and richly 
traced cottacje monument of James A. \Vilson (31), with 
niche in which stands a figure of Faith. It was erecteti in 
1870 to the mcmor\' of an Albany merchant and is one of 
the last commissions executed hv Launitz, the famous 
sculptor. Still further to the left, as we look toward the 
river, is the granite sarcophagus of Francis H. Tows ( 31 ). 

Opposite the Angel of the Sepulchre is the granite sar- 
cophagus ( 30 I to the mcmorv of Dr. John Swinhurne, one 
of the most notalile j)hvsicians Albany has ever known. 
Called sometimes the "fighting doctor," because of the 
tenacitv with which he tlefcnded his rights and his opin- 
ions, he treated thousands of cases gratuitously, main- 
taining for vears a free dispensary, at which more than 
60,000 people were treated, 25,000 cases being of a surgical 
nature. He rendered imjiortant hosjiital service during the 
war. He was appointed health officer of the port of New 
York in 1S64, and Swinburne Island hospital is named 
after him. During the Franco-Prussian war he had charge 
of the American Ambulance in Paris and was made a Knight 
of the Legion of Honor bv the French government, and 
also received the Red Cross of Geneva. He was elected 
mayor of Albanv and also congressman. 

Rev. Dr. Henrv Darling is buried near here. His stone 
records the fact that he was pastor of the Fourth Presby- 
terian church in Albanv from 1863 to 1881, and tiiat he 
was president of Hamilton college from t88i to 1891, the 
date of his death, and bears the appropriate text, " I have 
kept the faith." The Charles Godfrey vSaxe sarcophagus 



CEORC.E DAWSON. I3I 

and the Liscomh marble cross further adorn this section. 

C\'press Water is a pretty little pear-shapetl lakelet, with 
an island in the centre. Previous to 1870 it was little else 
than a swamp, hut the skill of Su])erintendent Thomas has 
converted it into one of the most attractive features of the 
landscape. It was formerlv larijely supplied from the 
ravine hv a hydraulic ram, hut later on two or three little 
streams were made to add their tribute to si)rings near at 
hand and the lake is now as natural in its source of su])j)lv 
as it is in appearance. 

Near its stem end. if we continue to liken its shape to 

that of a pear, will be found, in section 33, a a^rave with 

the word " Father" and the initials " G. D." — little, indeed, 

to indicate the restinc; place of one of the ablest editors of 

his dav. In the Tabernacle Baiitist church in Albanv a 

polished granite talilet erected l)y the Hon. Hamilton 

Harris thus portravs the character of the man who is 

nameless here : 

GEORGE D.WVSON 

Born March 14, 18 13, 

Died February 17. 1883. 

His renown as a Journalist, Author and Part}' Leader: 

His eminence as a citizen and statesman; 

His lite of probity and spiritual elevation, 

Commanded the admiration of all who value 

goodness and greatness. 

His labor and munificence in its establishment 

and maintenance endeared him to this church, 

in which he illustrated the nobility of an 

e.xalted Christian manhood. 

Private affection placed this tablet to commemorate 

his virtues and worth. 



132 THE Al.l'.AXV lU'RAI. C'EM KTEKV. 

Mr. Dawson was Itoin in Scotland. IK- came to 
.Mhanv as foreman of the Alban)- Evening Journal when 
it was estahhshed in 1830 b\- Thurlow Weed. From 1831 
to 1836 he was the paper's legislative reporter; after that 
he edited papers in Rochester and Detroit, returning- to 
the Jonrnal as associate editor in 1S46. 1 le remained such 
till 1862, when Mr. Weed retiring, Mr. Dawson became 
senior editor and proprietor, which position he held for 
must of the time till 1877, antl again from 1880 until 1882. 
He was for si.x years postmaster of Allianv and all his life 
a devoted disciple of Izaak Walton, both in angling itself 
and in writing about it. 

In the same lot with his father rests Major George S. 
Dawson, of the 2d X. \'., who died December 6, 1864, 
aged 26, from wounds received in battle before Petersburg. 
" He gave his life to perpetuate the Union, and to secure 
freedom to the enslaved." Post 63, Grand Army of the 
Republic, honored itself by adopting the name of this 
brave young soldier. 

Howard Carroll, colonel of the 105th N. Y., is buried 
near here. 

In the vicinity of Cypress Water the following artistic 
monuments will be seen : The J. W. \^an \^alkenburg, of 
red granite ; the Mills granite shaft ; the Packard block t)f 
uncut granite, and the G. W. Packard sarcophagus ; the 
Wilt.sie granite shaft; the sarcophagus to Dr. Jephtha R. 
Boulware, a much esteemed physician and surgeon ; the 
Douglass cross of polished granite, broad and \ery hand- 
some — all in section 30. 



THE CIIiBdNS-MATIIEK MEMORIAL. I33 

The Kibhee memorial, in the same section, is surmounted 
with a tisjure of a woman in deep contemplation, and hav- 
ing her hand on a wrcatii. The pose is natural and grace- 
ful, and the monument is much admired. 

The Fort monument of Flallowell and Westerlv granite 
(28) is of the Italian cottage style, and is crowned with a 
figure of Hope pointing upward. The Hascy monument 
hears an angel with a trumpet. 

Particularly worthy of admiration is the Godfrey memo- 
rial heautifuUv embodying in granite the idea of Religion 
consoling Sorrow. One hgure is bowed in weeping on 
the knee of the other, who holds a i5ible and is looking 
upward. The positions, the expression, the drapery are all 
natural ; the whole treatment is dignified, artistic and satis- 
fying. There are few better designs in the Cemetery, and 
few better executed. 

The Brainard granite sarcophagus and that of Dr. Rens- 
selaer Jewett come next and then the I'ioyal Bancrcjft 
Gothic memorial. 



On the Gibbons-Mather lot stands a memorial which 
will bear the closest study and the most intelligent criti- 
cism. The design is a cross, eight feet by six at the base, 
and twenty-one feet high. It consists of three bases, two 
plain, and the third ornamented with a delicately caryed 
moulding of conyentional leaves so unobtrusive that the 
beholder does not feel that an effort has been made to 
produce it. Immediately above the base is the die, one of 



134 THE ALBANY RURAL CI-:MFTKRV. 

the first ever desiijned of a spherieal shajje, ])lain and mas- 
sive, l)eariny' tlie tamih' reeord. Above the die is a larire 
])anel, whieh yives a footinji, for the cross, and ct)ntains a 
most artistic carving- of poppies and JJoppy leaves, the 
emi)lem of sleep, while upon a hand at the foot of this 
panel are the wortis, in rieii old ehuieh text : " lie gixeth 
His beloved sleep." (Jn tiie other three sides respectively 
the legend is continued, "Looking unto Jesus;" "There 
remaineth a rest ;" " I'ntil the Lord come." 

The shaft of the cross is decorated bv a carved foliation 
of " annunciation lilies," which although originallv drawn 
for bronze has become a marvel of accuracy iind delicacy, 
e\'en in the stubborn granite, while the sides are worked 
in the shape (jf engaged columns with richlv carvetl cap- 
itals, and finials where the calla and its leaves stand out in 
perfection, with a soft effect, as though moulded in clay 
rather than cut from the solitl rock. ,\bo\'e these columns 
stretch out the arms of the cross, decorateil with conven- 
tional carvings, a crown of thorns, beautifuUv executed, 
standing out from the centre. The material is a jiorphyritic 
granite of a pale gray, with just a faint pinkish tinge, and 
with a resisting power of 1,900 i)ounds to the s(|uare inch. 

This beautiful design stands on the lot of Joseph 
Mather and his son-in-law George \V. Ciibbons. Captain 
Mather, as he was familiarlv known, was descentled from 
the distinguished colonial family of ALithers. He was 
for manv vears connectetl with the towing interests of the 
river, and later was in charge of the Central railroad's 
affairs at the important station of West Albanv, in which 




GIBBONS-MATHER. 



NKAK CVI'RKSS WATER. I37 

|)osili()ii $170,000,000 t)cl()nfi-iii<r to that corjxMalion passed 
throuLch his hands leavin<r thcni pure and clean. Captain 
M;iiherflied in 1884, respected and regretted Ijy all who 
knew him. 

The headstones on this lot are also worthv of careful 
study as sijecimens of lioih orit{inality and LTood taste, a 
coinhination not altogether common. 



The James E. Craig lot ( 27 ) is marked with a high cot- 
tage monument of pink granite, very handsome and artistic. 
The Albert Wing monument carries a female figure with 
a most expressive face, htdding in her arms a hook and 
a cross. The Ilinckel figure of Hope is much admired 
and the lf)t hears marks of careful and loving attention. 
The Luke monument of ])ink granite is here, also the 
McGarvey granite shaft approached by handsome granite 
steps. In the rear of these plats will be found the lots of 
Dr. Robert H. Sabin, Isaac LaFevre and Judge Elisha P. 
Hurlbut. 

Going back to Cypress avenue, at the other side of the 
little lake, we note section 30, the modest stones on the lot 
of Dr. Albert Vander \'eer, and of the late Dr. Horatio N. 
Snow. Dr. Snow did good service in the armv as sur- 
geon, was health officer of the district of Savannah in 
1865, and in 1875 came to Albany where he was active in 
public affairs as well as in the practice of his profession, 
till cut short by death. 

The heavy horizontal polished granite cross of John F. 
Roy is in section 28 ; also the pretty white marble head- 

17 



138 THE ALBANY RURAL CEMETERY. 

Stone on the lot of John F. Shafer; and the John Clinton 
DeWitt and Simons sarcophaguses are near at hand. 

Facing on Mount Auburn avenue, section 29, is the Root 
family vault of the most substantial granite, very neatly 
constructed, the doors being highly polished slabs. The 
present figure is to be replaced with one from Italy. 

The Samuel L. Munson lot (28) nearly opposite, has no 
monument. The John Patton light granite is noticeable 
as is the P. K. Dederick vault. 

We have now reached what is known as the Six Points. 
at the south-west corner of the occupied \n\rt of the Cem- 
etery. On one of the points or corners is the lot of Dr. S. B. 
Ward (28) containinga pink Westerly granite sarcophagus, 
highlv polished, and of a design which for simjilicity witliout 
measfcrness, is not excelled bv anv in the Cemeterv. It 
has character, is sufficient but not obtrusive, is enduring antl 
in perfect good taste. 

On another corner is the lot of Mr. G. A. Van Allen (122), 
president of the First National Bank, as yet without a 
monument, but marked with a great lloral bed in tlie shajie 
of an anchor. 

The Gregory granite shaft, tall and shai)ely ( log). com- 
memorates among others, the promising young lawyer, 
Georpfe Stuart Grearorv. who died in 1888 at the beyinnin^ 
of a career full of hopeful anticipations. He was the son 
of Daniel II. Gregory, and a partner of his brother 
Clifford. 



At tlTc yer\' edge of the cemetery's occupied ground. 



THE c;KAVli OF FRITZ EM.MET. 



139 



let us stop at a siiiii-le unmarked grave, the farthest of 
anv at jiresent writino;, on I.indcn avenue, leading to the 
southern gate. Look about vou, listen, and look again! 
How still the landscape ! How silent the hourl How far 
away the world ! P'arthest of all the mimic world we call 
the Stage ! We hear no laughter, no applause ; the smell 
of the footlights is not in our nostrils; the orchestra is 
hushed; the buzz, the vitality, the magnetism of a great 
audience is lacking; vet in that lonelv grave sleeps one at 
the sound of whose cheery voice, al the sight of whose 
merry, handsome face, the lives of millions of his fellow- 
creatures in this broad land of ours, have brightened into 
the sunshine of harmless laughter, have grown harmonious 
and tuneful to the rhvthm of sweet sounds, ha\'e become 
gentle antl tender in tiie comjxmionship of chililren and dogs, 
and a man wlio loved tliem. No actor, the critics say, 
with no jilav worth remembering, and no companv worth\' 
of the name — onl\- " l*"ritz," Fritz Emmet, who tlances 
and yodels and pla\-s with babies, and talks in broken 
English, and in some wav touches the popular fancv 
in a measure unknown to the art of Bernhardt, or 
the power of Booth. For twenty vears his life was one 
holiday of success and excess; of adulation and extrava- 
gance, of liberalitv and self-cnmitv. He created a popu- 
laritv which even he himself could not destrov, antl which, 
after he is dead and buried, descends upon his son and 
namesake. 

Alas ! ]ioor Fritz : 

" Has he gone to the land of no laughter, 
This man who made mirth for us all?" 



140 THE ALBANY RURAL CEMETERY. 

Not lonti' hcncL' a solid sarcophao;us will take its place 
wiuiv thou art sk-epiiiij. It may perpetuate tliv nienior\- 
as long as the granite maintains its form, hut thv hcst, tliv 
most touching memorial will he the " Lullahv " which ten 
ihousantl nu>tliers croon oYcr iheir sleeping hahies, ilream- 
ing, as thev sing, of the golden days when life was young, 
and |oseph K. l^Lmmet was playing "Fritz, Our Cousin 
(jcrman." 



A loftv shaft of polished granite, which no one who 
visits this part of the Cemetery 1^109) will pass unohserved, 
next commands attention. As a reproduction of the 
Egyptian monoliths of two thousand vears ago, without 
initial, without ornamentation, correct in pro))ortions, dig- 
nified, statelv anil imposing, it is unexcelled. It is the 
VVeed-Barnes-Alden mi)nument, and admirahlv ser\'es its 
purpose in kee|)ing alive the memory of those to whom it 
was erecteil, partieuhniv of the great politician and jomnal- 
ist who, although he never held ])ul)lic ofhce, intluenced 
puhlic affairs to an extent rareh' equalled hv an\- man in 
an\' station. For fifty-seven vears a journalist, thirty-five 
of which he controlled the .Mhanv Jourital. of which he 
was the founder, Thuiiow Weed was active and inlUiential 
in the nomination of John Ouincy Adams, William I leni\- 
Harrison, Henrv Clav, Gen. Scott ami John C. I'remont 
{()x the presidenev, and in state politics was a power for 
nearh half a centurw The anti-Masonic party of sixty 
years ago was largelv a chikl of his parentage; and the 
rt'puhlican part\' leaders owed much to his ad\ice ami 




\VEED-ALDEN-BARNES. 



TIURI.dW WEED. 



141 



counsel fruni the foundatiun of the party up to the time of 
his death in 1882. His home in later life was in New 
\ ork cit\-, hut he ahvavs entertained an affection for 
.Alhany, where his daughter Emily, the wife of Hon. 
William Barnes, resided till her death ; and for manv years 
he had expected to he laid at rest in the Rural Cemetery. 
The following verses, cast in hronze, will he found on a 
headstone in this lot : 

As children wearied with their play 

Throw down their toys and long for rest 
Fly to a mother's arms away 

And fall asleep upon her breast, 

Thus, Tawasentha, will my soul 

Aside its earthly playthings cast, 
Thus will it own thy soft control. 

And slumber sweetly here at last. 

Emilv p. Weeli. 
Sunset, Sept. S, 184S. 



The lofty Frederick Cleveland monument! 108 j has a 
child standing on a [tedestal at its foot, and an angel carry- 
ing a child, on the top. 

On another of the si.x corners is the lot of the late 
Daniel Manning (27), a])j)roi)riately markeil with a massive, 
hut plain, light granite sarcophagus, emhlcmatical of the 
(juiet, unassuming, hut thoroughly substantial and trust- 
worthy man who was for manv years president of the 
Argus company, president of the National Commercial 
Bank, and afterwards secretary of the treasury, under the 
administration of President Cleveland, at whose earnest 



\^2 TlIK .\ir.\N\ KTRAl ilMI iri<\. 

rrqiu'-^l he lot! tlu' cilx ol AUkiiu to l.iki' sn iininirtant a 
part ill tlu' national iio\ oi imu'iit. \\ liilr in thr discliarm" 
ut his duties in W'asliingloii. his lathor dohcatc hcaUh ua\r 
wav, anii a cit\ and a nation, as well as fainilv. were eoni- 
pclled to nioinn liis loss. Mr. .ManniiiiLi was lunn in 
Allianv. whieh eit\ had alwa\ s lu'en his home. I'.arU in 
Hie attaehed lo one of its inlluential poiitieal news|>apers, 
he heeanie in time not onl\ the heail ot the .h-j^/ts. luit 
a leader ot" the demoeratie part\ in this state. .Mi)re to 
him ili.m lo ,in\ other man did Mr. lde\elaiid owe his 
first nomination lor the iiresidenev . and his subsequent 
eleetion as well. Mi. M.inninu' died Deeemher J4, 18S7. 
aged 50. 

Near bv. on tiie rigiit. looking toward the lake, in section 
jv"^, will be noted the lot of e.x-judge ami Congressman 
Thomas J. \ an Alstvne, on whieh is a large sarcophagus 
of dark granite, simple, but well pri>poitioned and elective, 
a model of good taste, whollv devoid of ostentation. This 
monument is cut from the best of Ouiiic\ i^ranite. a pure 
sienite rock composeil of quartz, feldspar and hornblende. 
three of the hardest mineral substances known. Its delicate 
bluish-grav tint, slightlv mottled with black, equals the 
tinest porphvrv. and harmonizes with the solemn scenes of 
the place where it stands. It is large in proportion, its 
base stone being nine teet tour inches by si.x teet tour 
inches, its cap-stone five feet four inches by four feet four 
inches, its height eight feet four inches. The plinth and 
cap-stone are so highlv jiolished as to reflect surrounding 
objects like a mirror. The intense hardness of the stone 



THE MASUXIC PLAT. 



•43 



renders the monument comparatively imiK-rishablc and 
impervious to the effects of the weather. 

The Walter R. Bush Corinthian pillar is conspicuous in 
section 28, hut its effect is injured by the urn which 
should ha\e no place ujion it. 

On the left, in section 27, is the Albany Masonic burial 
plat, a circle seventy-six feet in diameter, containing 4,536 
superficial feet, nearly eighteen lots. It was carefully laid 
out by Su]n. Jeffrey P. Thomas, according to the accom- 
panying diagram, ami the chart has been adopted by the 
board of trustees. There is room for 129 graves. 




MASONIC BURIAL PLAT. 



144 THE ALBANY RURAL (LMETF.RV. 

The walk surrounding- the U:)t is five feet wide, shited. 
The outer cireuhu- line indicates the lot proper, and the 
inner portion is at j)resent plain sod, the lines drawn indi- 
cating two feet margin next the path ; then six feet length 
of graves, with three feet margin at head ; then six feet 
for graves, and three feet margin ; then six feet for 
graves, with three feet margin : leaving an interior circle 
eighteen feet diameter, giving ample space for a monument, 
which will, no douht, some time he erected. 

Going hack to Cvpress Water, we take 1 lawthorn avenue 
westward, passing the Belknap shaft of dark granite (27), 
the Milwain shaft of red (26), the Regan granite cross, 
the Jacohson and Romevn shafts (271 and the Hogan solid 
monument (26 ). 

We next come to the granite monument recently erected 
hy order of George C. Cook to his father, Adam Cook, 
long a respected merchant in Alhany. It is solid and well 
proportioned, and hears what is quite uncommon in mort- 
uary sculpture, a life-si/ed male figure, that of St. John as 
a young man, with liook and pen. looking ui)ward. 
Nearly all the statues in the cemeter\- are of women, 
angels or children, so that the exception is quite remark- 
ahle. It is of Barre granite and was designed and erected 
h)' the Empire Granite Company. 

The Matthews monument has a small angel. The John 
Akin lot to the left (27) has a large hlock of unhewn 
o;ranite with polished panels. The Pitkin monument ( 107) 
is on an attractive corner lot, and is surmounted by a 
female figure looking downward and carrying a wreath. 




GEORGE C. COOK. 



JOHN (;. I'AkKiiuRST. 145 

The Elnathan Sweet and the Conveise lots are passetl ; the 
Clute-MeDowell-Greene monument is a sexaffon of red 
<;:ranite ; the Laut-Rehlaender is five-sided. Here is the mon- 
ument of (reorge B. Hoyt, an Alliany eoal ilealer, and for 
many years member of the Albany board of publie 
instriietion. 

The Fearey monument is a bloek of unhewn j^ranite, 
seven feet high, and nearly square. On the side is earved 
in bold relief a cross, with passion flower and vine. On 
one side enough space has been ]iolished to allow names 
to be inscribed. On the back ivv grows. 

Near here is the simple monument erected bv the seulii- 
tt)r, Charles Calverley, to the memorv of Mrs. Calverley, 
and bearing her metlallion portrait in bronze. 

We are now at the western end of tlie ground (_)eeupied 
on the South ridge, the farthest grave at present writing, 
October, 1S92, being that of Slauson ( 107). 

Turning eastward again by way of the Tour, after trav- 
ersing some distance we come in sight of a polished 
granite column (107) crowned with a hre, erected to the 
memory of John G. Parkhurst, by his musical friends. 
Prof. Parkhurst was director of the Alban\- Musical 
Association from 1S79 to 1SS7, and did much to stimulate 
a love of choral music in this vicinity. On one side of the 
base is the quotation, " Sleeper, awake ! a voice is calling, 
it is the watchman on the walls." 

The Roraback and Brace M. Gallien stones are near 
here. Turning to the right through Oakland avenue the 
Cramer and Murphy lots are passed, and we come to the 

18 



146 THE Al.liANV RIRAL CEMETERY. 

rathrr strikinu coltas:e monument of dark "ranitc with 
vasr in the ccntic, hi'loniiinu' to Michael Schrodt. 

This lirin>i"S us again to the tall Pitkin monument, and 
passinu" the Wolcott sarcophagus \ 20 >, on tlie opposite 
corner, \vc re-lraee our sic[)S along Hawthorn axenue and 
to Cvprcss Water, then to the left, keeping to the right of 
tiie LaCirauge monument (43) which is approachetl hv 
handsome steps and hears a granite cross on a high pedes- 
tal of the same material, lioth highh polished. In the same 
lot is also a h.mdsome m. triple momniient with classic lu'ii. 

Next will he found the grave ot Michael K. Hr\ an 14;,) 
who fell .It the head of his regiment, the 175th X. \'., at 
I'ort Hudson, June 14, 1803. He was the first to take 
a regiment across the Long hridge into \ irginia. The 
spot where he lies is marked with appropriate emblems, a 
cannon, swoid, acciuiterments, and the tiag. Opposite (42) 
is the graxH' of another soldier, Lieut, .lames Williamson, 
177th N. \'.. who also fell before Port Hudson, Mav 2jlh. 
of the same vear. 

Till' William Russell monument with draped urn 1 42 \ 
and the Rossm.m granite octagon (43) are in this vicinitv. 
Thejacoli Leonard circidar plat is surrounded with granite 
coping, but has no monument. Ihe Dr. Stephen ^Llnson 
lot opposite 1 42 ) is also without a monimient. 

TiUTiing to tlie right into the Tour, we niite the Fraser 
cottage monument ( 42 ] and (.)pposite the modest head- 
stones of Squire Whipple (41), the first practical con- 
structor of iron truss bridges. The Mills shaft of dark 
granite is passed. In the rear is the lot of Gen. John G. 



THK LEARNED EOT. I47 

Farnswurth, a trustee of the Cemetery ; also a headstone 
to Stephen C. Ilutehins, for many years connected with 
the Albany newspapers in an editorial capacit\'. 

The lar<)e granite in section 42 is to the memory of 
Gen. James C Rice, who was killed May 10, 1864, at 
Spottsylvania, in his twentieth battle. His last words writ- 
ten to his mother ui)on the opening of the campaign were : 
"One cannot fall too earlv, if, having Christ, he dies for 
his country." And when dving : "Turn me over; let 
me die with my face to the foe." 

Opposite the Roessle granite shaft (41) is the Jenkins 
Van Schaick lot, antl next to it that of Judge William L. 
Learned (one of the trustees of the Cemetery i, having 
ui)on it some beautiful iicadstones. One is to the memory 
of Phebe Rowland Marvin, the first wife of Judge Learned; 
another to the memory of his daughter, Mary Marvin 
Learned, wife of John DeWitt Peltz; another to the 
memory of Philip Peltz, a son of John DcWitt Peltz. 
Sarah S. Anderson, a faithful nurse of the family, also 
rests beside those who were her constant care. 

Near here also is the granite shaft erected by the congre- 
gation to Rev. John N. Campbell, D.D., pastor of the 
First Presbyterian church in Albany for thirty-four years 
(1830 to 1864). lie was chaplain to congress in 1820, 
and for some time was pastor of a church in Washington. 
For twenty years he was a regent of the universitv of the 
state of New York, and wrote a good many of their annual 
reports. " As a preacher he was pungent, logical, eloquent ; 
as a minister of Christ, faithful unto death." 



148 Tin-: Al.P.ANV RURAL CEMETERY. 

The L'xjicnsive Fowler granite (41 ), the Bogart marble 
and the Taleutt cottage monument (42) are seen. 

Turning sharp to the left through Forest avenue, we 
pass the Ilenr\- II. \'an Dyke red granite (40) commemo- 
rating a state superintendent of public instruction 
(1857-61); the Martin \'osburgh and Sternbergh U)ts; 
then the plat of Philip Phelps, born i 7S9, dieil 1S76, and 
Hannah Mascraft, his wife. Mr. Phelps was deputy state 
comjJtroUer for nearlv tifty years, receiving his first 
appointment from Ciov. Marcv. Here is also a slab to 
John S. Pheljis, a soldier of the revolution, born in 
Hebron, Connecticut, August 10, 1779, died June 15, 
1812; his wife born in Co.xsackie, Xovemlier 11, 1761, 
died .Viiril 27, 1841. 



Now we reach the last resting-i)lace of one who loved 
books and tlowers, who was the best of friends, the 
srentlest of oemlc-men — a cultivated mind, a sensitive 
nature, a noble st)ul ; a skilled jilnsician who dietl too soon 
— Dr. Ct)rnelius Duel Mosher. 

" Green be the turf abi)ve thee! " 



A little bevond is the Gansevoort-Melville-Hoadley lot, 
the Hoadlev stone bearing that apt quotation from Mrs. 
Barbauld: 

" Say not ' Good night,' but in some brighter chme, 
Bid roe ' Good morning!" " 

John Chipman I loadlev, whom this stone commemorates, 
was a civil en"ineer and in\entor who ranked hiyh as an 



DR. SAMUEL STKIXGKK. 149 

expert in all rclatinir to mechanical and engineering 
questions. He died in Boston, October 21, 1886. Allen 
Melville was secretary to the American legation in Lon- 
don, and died there in 1852. lie was a brother of Her- 
man Melville, the author and traveler who died recentlv, 
antl their mother is also buried in this lot. Their maternal 
grandfather was Gen. Gansevoort, the hero of Fort 
Stanwix. 

In this same section, near Evergreen path, will be 
found the lot of Dr. John W. Bav. where are buried six 
generations, among them Dr. Samuel Stringer, and his 
wife who was Rachael Wmderheyden. These bodies, 
prior to 1869. lay in the Stringer or Treat vault on Swan 
street near Washington avenue. Dr. Stringer was Albanv's 
most prominent phvsician in the i8th centurv. Fie was a 
native of Maryland. In 1755 he was appointed bv Gov. 
Shirlev an officer in the medical department of the British 
armv. He accompanied Abercrombie in 1758. and was 
present when Lord Howe fell at Ticonderoga. He settled 
in Albany, marrying into the old \'anderhevden family, 
and when the revolution began was appointed by congress 
director-general of hospitals in the northern department. 
He is believed to have been the familv phvsician of (icn. 
Philip Schu\ier. He was the first master of Masters 
Lodge, F. & A. M. in 1768, '9, '70 and '71. HediedJulv 
II, 181 7, aged 82. 

The Lemon Thomson monument (4.1) is in imitation 
of a tree on which is nailed a scroll. Where the liranches 
are cut off are the names of the children. 



150 THE AI.BAXV RCRAL CEMETEr<V. 

The Thomas McCredie ( 40 ) granite shaft, with its Scotch 
thistle, is a notable landmark. Mr. McCredie, wht) died 
recently, had been a resident of Allianv for over fiftv vears, 
during which time he came to be one of the leading malt- 
sters of the United States. 

Back of the William P. Irwin marble .shaft (41 ) will be 
found a lot marked with the evidences of culture and good 
taste, and containing several graxes, among them that of 
Rev. Cortlandt \'an Rensselaer of Burlington, X. J., born 
1808, died i860, son of Stephen and Cornelia \'an Rens- 
selaer. He was a missionarv to the slaves in Virginia in 
1833-5, '^"d secretarv of the Presbyterian board of educa- 
tion in 1846-60. Capt. Cortlandt Xan Rensselaer, who 
died in the service of his country (1864), is buried here; 
also the wife of Gen. Edward Burd Grubb. The Cuvler 
Van Vechten sarcophagus of marble is in this section. 

Passing the Wendell Scotch granite shaft ( 40 1, and 
going nearlv back to Cypress Water, turning around the 
La Grange plat and passing that of Gansevoort-Ten Eyck 
(43 I, we see, a little wav to the left, the lot of St. Andrews 
society ( 26 ) marked bv the St. Andrew cross of granite on 
a substantial granite pedestal, erected in 1891, and given 
bv Thomas McCredie, "a native of Glasgow." It bears 
conspicuouslv the Scotch thistle and other appropriate 
emblems. 

Passing the Griswold lot ( 26 1 and keeping along the 
Tour to the left past the Bradt and the Gage lots we come in 
full view of tile monument of Rev. Mr. Schwartz t, 102 ), 
a former rector of Grace Episcopal church, Albany, a 



THE WdOSTER MONUMENT. 151 

Celtic cross of Barre granite, twelve feet in height and 
well-proportioned, standing in what mav be called a cler- 
ical section, as hack of the Schwartz lot is a headstone to 
the Rev. Selah W. Strong, pastor of the South Reformed 
or jermain Memorial church in NVcst Trov for fourteen 
years. On the left is the grave of Rev. H. L. Starks, forty- 
eight vears a minister of the Trov conference, who died 
June 20, 1 882. 

Turn now to the right and the Sill, the Burgess and the 
George W. Luther (102) lots are noticed as we pass to that of 
Rev. Rufus \V. Clark, D.D., on which stands a red gfran- 
ite monument on a gray granite pedestal, surmounted with 
a marble angel. Rev. Dr. Clark was pastor of the First 
Reformed church in Albanv from 1862 till 1883. He was 
an el()(|uent i)reacher anil the author of manv religious 
books. 

Turning to the right we see the monument of B. \V. 
Wooster, on a circular lot (24) ornamented with many 
handsome trees. This has long been regarded as one of 
the most noteworthy marbles in the Cemetery. It is an 
octagonal pedestal richlv ornamented with vines. On the 
pedestal stands a figure of Hope, looking and pointing 
upward, while at her side is the anchor sure and steadfast. 
The figure was made in Genoa, Ital}^ 

The grave of Robert L. Johnson (25), a well known 
business man and trustee of the Cemetery, is denoted bv a 
simple sarcophagus. We pass the Aiken granite shaft 
near by (44) and we also note the Simco.x (25), the 
McBride and the Slack memorials. 



152 THE ALBANY RURAL CENfETERV. 

Once more at the Leonard circular lot we turn north- 
ward to the left, throuu'h Roseleaf avenue, and leaving the 
McCredie shaft on the riyht, come at once to tiie Tilihits- 
Pratt (44") lot with its massive headstones of dark s^ranite. 
The monument on this lot to Col. Georcje W. Pratt is a 
jo^ranite cross on an uncut granite pedestal, ujjon which, 
at the foot of the cross is carved a sword. He was colonel 
of the 20th N. v., and died at the age of 32 from a 
wound received at the second battle of Bull i\un. 
Bleecker Tihbits is buried here. 

The A. R. (Tra\' uncut granite block (40) is opposite 
this lot and next is the granite shaft to \Villiam N. Strong, 
a well known wholesale dry-goods merchant, who died in 
1889. A daintv bit of marble also adorns this lot (13). 

Looking to the right, down Lawn avenue from this 
point, is seen George A. Woolverton's imposing monu- 
ment of dark granite (15), the E. D. Mav marble, and in 
front of us the granite shaft to S. H. Ransom, who died 
in 1889. He was for a long time one of the leading stove 
manufacturers of Allian\". ha\ing begun as a clerk for Joel 
Rathbone in 1833. He was a Cemeterv trustee for 
twenty-four vears. 

Turn now to the left and there, on the corner (14), 
enclosed in a hedge are the graves of the direct descendants 
of Killian Van Rensselaer, the first patroon, who in the 
seventeenth centurv acquired title to land in this vicinitv 
extending twent\-four miles up and down the river and 
twentv-four miles from the river each wav, east and west. 
The last patroon. Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer, born i 764, 



THE VAX REXSSKLAEKS. 153 

died January 26, 1839, is l)uncd here, as are his son and 
namesake, born 1789, who died May 25, 1868; Stephen 
Van Renssehier, horn 1824, died 1861 ; Bayard \\in Rens- 
selaer, born 1833, died at Pan, France, January 12, 1859. 
Gen. Stephen \'an Rensselaer married a daughter of 
Gen. PhiHp Schu\kr. He was state senator in 179 [-6; 
lieutenant-o:overnor in i 795-1801, served several terms in the 
assembly and in congress. He took an active part in the 
war of 181 2; was one of the first to advocate a canal 
between the Hudson and the lakes; was chairman of the 
canal commission for fourteen vcars ; was chancellor of the 
university, and founder of the Rensselaer Polytechnic 
institute in Trov. 

On theright are the Edson marbles ( i 5 ), two sarcoph- 
aguses with crosses, and a headstone is to the memory of 
the wife of John L. AVorden, Jr., commander of the 
Monitor in her great fight with the Merrimac. The Sidney 
Alden sarcophagus and the Richard J. Story monument 
are passed and then we come to the Scotch granite with 
urn, erected by the eccentric Mary McPherson in memory 
of her father, mother and brother. Marv also lies here, 
after making provision in her will by which the beautiful 
statue to Robert Burns was erected in Washington park. 
She died in 1886, aged 82. Opposite is the queer little 
sandstone to Capt. J. Cooke. 

Keeping to the right we pass, in section 21, the Jeffer- 
son Collins, Knowlton, David Mattoon, J. R. Frost, Sam- 
uel Rankin, Chester Packard and (on the right) the Watson 
monuments, and notice particularly the large granite monu- 



154 ■'■'"•- Al.n.VN^' RlRAl (KMETKRV. 

mcnt with anycl and ancluir. to J. J. Austin (a Ccmetcrv 
trustee), and tlie niarl)le witli urn to Jeremiah Austin, the 
lots being surrounded with coping. The James D. Jones 
red stone is passed ; the Cowell lots are here (20), the 
Feltman marble, and the Dalton block of red sandstone 
(2i) around which wc keep to the left and come to the 
grave of Gen. John S. Dickerman, the genial, wittv, 
jjublic-spirited auctit)neer and hall-manager whose death 
was all too soon. He fought death bravelv and cheer- 
fulh till the last. "General," saitl a friend to him one dav, 
" vou are not looking well ; whv don't vou go south for 
the winter?" ■" No," was the replv with a sad smile, and 
pointing towards the Rural Cemeterv, "I'm going north." 

Xe.xt to him lies John Elmendorf, for manv rears the 
agent of the Dav line of steamers, antl part proprietor of 
the once famous Windsor restaurant in Maiden Lane. 

Around the curve is the Lewis marble, and here lies Col. 
Henrv M. Galpin, 121st X. V., iiS) his monument an 
imitation of a pile of stones on which are the names of 
battles in which he fought, and cannon, flag and sword. 

Going straight ahead we see in section 21, the marble 
cottage monument of Theodore M. Amsdell and beside it 
the granite shaft of George 1. Amsdell, his brother. 
Thomas J'. Wav, a Mason of high degree, is buried oppo- 
site (22X The Dr. \'an Vranken polished granite and the 
John G. Treadwell lot are on the corner. 



We now turn towards one of the most interesting and 
artistic monuments (24) in the Cemeter}-, erected to the 




< 



f'RKSIDKNT AK'I'IH'KS MKMoRlAl,. 



D3 



memorv of Chester Alan Arthur, t\vent\'-first president of 
the United States, born October A, 1830, died Xovenil)er 
18, 1886. The lot is not a large one, neither is it con- 
spicuous. It was purchased by the president's father. Rev. 
William .Arthur, and there he and the president's mother, 
wife and son are iniried. It was right and l)est, of course, 
that Mr. Arthur should sleep among his kindred, and his 
grave was made there before any testimonial was projected. 
This is the free, cheerful, almost unasked for contribution 
of his friends, resident largely in the state of New \'ork. 
With few words, with little publicity, and no solicitation, 
a handsome sum of monev was promptly raised, sufficient 
to pay for the monument and also for a statue in New 
York city. The whole i)rocee(ling was conducted in the 
generous, gentlemanlv way so much in accordance with 
the life and manner of the man whom it was thus sought 
to honor. 

The monument, which cost $10,000, was designed by 
E. Keyser, of New York city. It was set up June 15, 
1889. It is approached by white granite ste]>s, the pedes- 
tals of the balustrade thereto having bronze urns resting 
on them. It is a dark granite sarcophagus, larger at the 
top than the bottom, perfectly plain and highly polished, 
resting ui)on two pieces of a lighter colored granite, also 
highly polished. The upper surface of the sarcophagus 
resembles a four-sided roof. There stands at the north- 
west corner, in heroic size, a bronze Angel of Sorrow 
placing upon the .sarcophagus a palm leaf. Her left arm 
is extended along the top of the structure and the palm 



156 THE ALBANY RURAL CEMETERY. 

leaf, held in the hand, sweeps oxer the remainder of it and 
falls bevond the southern end. The riylit arm hanys list- 
lessly downward touching one of the bronze wings. It is 
as if a wind were blowing, and pinions, hair and branch 
all are swayed b}' it in one direction. The face wears a 
touching expression, deeph* and tenderh' sympathetic and 
the attitude denotes comjilete absorption in the feeling 
thus exemplilied. 



We now |)ass the Joseph H. Zeiser granite (22), and 
further on the lot of John Robe (103); then turning up 
the Idll antl to the left we retrace our course to the I'elt- 
man lot, around that to the left, past the lot of Samuel N. 
Bacon, then to the left past the great Cruttenden granite 
cross (,18). In tlie King lot, west of Cruttenden, is the 
grave of Robert Ilenrv King, and on the stone a repre- 
sentation of a medal presentctl to him ft)r " i)ersonal valor as 
a landsman on the picket boat No. i, at the destruction of 
Albemarle, October 27, 1864. In the Cruttenden lot is 
buried Leverett Cruttenden, who tlied in 1838. He was 
for many years the keeper of Congress Hall, and was cele- 
brated the country over as a host, both of that caravansary and 
subsequentlv of the Eagle tavern. His establishment was 
the resort, especially, of the legal talent of the day, and 
his annual Feast of Shells was solemnized by the presence 
of prominent men. from all parts of the countrw 

In Oakwood forest we see on tiie iiandsomely atlorned 
lot of John H. \"an Antwerp ( 161 a granite pedestal marked 



SEXATOK IKA HARRIS. 15 j 



with gilt letters, whereon is a marble angel holding a 
wreath ; also near the main monument a seated figure 
bowed in grief beside an urn. 

Opposite is the James A. Gray sarcojjiiagus of pink 
Westerly granite (18) and next the cross on the grave of 
Henr\- James Ten Eyck, a young journalist who had made 
his mark in his profession, and was rich in the jjromise of use- 
fulness and success, l)oth in newspaper and literary work. 
The cottage monument of Barre granite with a marble 
figure of Hope is on the lot of Alfred Mosher, of West 
Troy. Opposite is the Robinson sandstone, and further 
east the Quincy granite monument with urn, of Albert 
Goodwin, one of the best simple designs we have noticed. 
Here are the Cami)bell monuments (18) one to Duncan 
Campbell, and another bearing tiic folhiwing inscri])tion : 

"The young men of the citv of Albanv, in their grief 
for his too early removal, have erected this monument to 
Daniel Campbell, a man who loved humanity as most men 
love their nearest kindred, and who sought as his only riches 
the blessings of the needy." The monument is of Italian 
marble, and on the reverse side will he found a bas-relief, 
by Palmer, representing Grief, a bowed female figure, sug- 
gesti\e of the betrothed one whose heart was broken fortv 
years ago. 

The massive square monument of granite is to Hon. 
Ira Harris, one of the great legal lights of the state of 
New York. He studied law in the office of Ambrose 
Spencer, began practicing in Albany, was assemblyman 
for two years, senator two years, a member of the consti- 



158 THE AIBAW RTKAT. CEMETERY. 

tiitional ci)nventi<.)ns of 1S46 and "67; justice of the 
supreme court for twelve vears, and United States senator 
during- the war (from 1861 to 1867). He was for 
nianv vears president of Union college, and one of the 
founders of Rochester university. He died of paralvsis 
December :;, 1875, aged 73. The lot stands in his name 
and that of his brother, lion. Hamilton Harris. 

The Westerlv granite on the Tillinghast lot (16) is 
remarkable for its s\'mmetr\- from base to ape.x, antl is con- 
sideretl oni' of the best in tlu' Cemeterv. 

Now we come to a section (17) occupieti b\- four families: 
Hun, Adams, Revnolds, and Dexter. Dr. lulward R. Hun 
is buried here ; also Judge Marcus T. Reynolds, for twentv- 
si.\ vears one of the leading members of the Alban\ bar. 
He died Julv 13, 1864, aged 77. George Dexter, who died 
in 1883, also rests in this spot. 

Opposite on the right is the James lot ( ib) tilled with 
the oUl fashioned red santlstone monuments. William 
James who came to Alban\ in 1793, and became a success- 
ful merchant, is the central figure in the group and around 
him are buried manv of his descendants and connections. 
Among them is Isaac Edwards, formerly dean of the 
Albanv Law school. He died suddenly, in 1879. 

Looking eastward can be seen the handsome Wallace 
cottage monument with small pillars of Scotch marble and 
a female figure strewing liowers ; the light granite sarcoph- 
agus of Dr. Bigelow antl Thomas P. Crook (12); the Isaac 
McMurdv marble and the granite sarcophagus of John .T. 
Hill. 



REV. PETER JU'LLIONS, I). I). ] ^g 

Turning now to theriirht into the Tour, tlic Dr. William 
Bay lot (15) has a numl)cr of iR-adstoncs and on it arc- six- 
Garrison slabs laid horizontally, said to co\cr mem- 
bers of a famil\- who left their monev to this mueh 
esteemed phvsieian. Dr. Bay died in All>an\- in 
1S65, aged 92. lie had praeticed medieine for 68 years. 
Further along we note the marble monuments of Dr. 
David Martin and .Samuel Hamilton. On the right, an 
Italian marble shaft to William G. Weed, an Albany 
lawyer [16). 

Next is the cottage marble monument to Rev. Dr. Peter 
Bullions, born in Scotland i 791, died 1864, in Trov. From 
182410 1848 he was teacher of languages in the Albanv 
academy, and was the author of a series of classical text- 
l)ooks which were extensivelv used fortv vears ago. 

Hale Kingsley's lot has no monument to the memory of 
that once active republican politican. It is opiKJsite the 
Josiah Gillespie sandstone (15); then comes the urn-shaped 
sandstone to Giles W. Porter (16). The Cary-Emerson lot 
is surrounded with a hedge and bears a pedestal supporting 
an angel with wreath of flowers. Next we pass the 
Burhansand the Bradford-Chase marble shafts, the Matthew 
Wallace marble with urn, the Hawkins granite hio-h cot- 
tage monument surmounted by a figure of Hope, the Long 
& Silsby marble cottage monument, and on both sides the 
avenue, the Mix family are buried. 

The Bayeux monument of red sandstone ( 16) was erected 
by the Albany Burgesses Corps to Capt. Thomas Bayeux, 
" to commemorate his worth as a man, and his merits as a 



l6o THE AI.liANV RURAL CEMETERY. 

soldiLT and commamlcr for which he was highly distin- 
guished and esteemed." I li' was horn in Pougiikeepsie, and 
died, June 4, 1844. 

Back of this lot is a monument to two hrothers, who 
died in Wattle: James L. Dempse\-, fust lieutenant 34th 
Mass., mortall)' wounded, October 13, 1864; and John M. 
Dempsey, first lieutenant 43d X. \'., died Mav 6, 1865, from 
wounds recei\ed in the assault on Fort Fisher before Peters- 
burg. He was a member of the .Albanv Burgesses Corps. 
The stone is made uj) of militar\and patriotic emblems, and 
bears the inscriptions: " Our countrv needs true soldiers," 
" Our lives are in our Maker's hands," and "My countrv 
needs mv service and shall have it." Opposite the Pavn 
marble monument is also the grave of Col. Edward Frisby, 
o( the 30th X. \'., who fell in the second battle of Bull Run. 
A marble headstone with an eagle marks the grave. 

William Manson, who furnishetl man\" ot the stones in 
this Cemeterv, is buried in section 16. He died in 1887. 
The ])ink Westerly granites of Charles G. Craft (20) are 
among the neatest to be found anywhere. 

Turn now to the right, and we pass on tiie left the lot 
of Rev. Truman Seymour ( 18), with many graves radiat- 
ing from the principal stone. From this point it is best 
to retrace ground already co\ered, down (ireenwood 
avenue, past the Sanford marble in section 18, until we 
arrive in sight of the Adam \'an Allen sarcophagus of 
pink Westerly granite (18). Mr. Van Allen, president of 
the First National Bank, diet! August 11, 1884, aged 71. 
He had been identified with Albany interests for nearly 



IIIE IlYER LATHKOP .MONUMENT. l6l 

half a centuiy. He was once in the assemhlv, and for 
three rears was treasurer of Alhanv countv. 

The loft\" obelisk (19) of Ouincy granite tasteluUy 
emblazoned on the east side, is to Luther Tucker, founder 
in 1S26 of what is now the Rochester Union and Adver- 
tiser, the first daih' establisiied west of Alban\' ; and of 
the Country Gentleman. Mr. Tucker died January 26, 1873. 

In the Newton lot, at the right (11), with its Ouincy 
granite, are buried the first wife, four maiden sisters, the 
mother and oth(M- relatives of Isaac Newton, a famous 
naval architect, who constructed some ninety steamboats 
and was the founder of the People's line of steamers. 

On a circular lot (11) a large and imposing canopv of 
marble covers a marble sarcophagus to the memory of 
Robert M. Sevmour who died in 1849. 

The loftiest and one of the most expensive shafts in the 
grounds is that to the memory of Dyer Lathrop (11), sur- 
mounted by a figure of Hope, in itself twelve feet high. 
This fine memorial is not as effective as it would he in a 
larger lot, and in a better situation, but it will alwavs 
attract attention. Mr. Lathrop died in 1855, aged 67. 
He had lived in xAlban\' for over forty years, carrying on 
all that time a mercantile business. He was treasurer of 
the Albanv orphan asvlum and that institution was fre- 
quentlv indei)ted to him for helivin time of trouble. His 
daughter married the Hon. Leland Stanford, and it is to 
the memorv of their son that Senator Stanford presented 
the state of California with $20,000,000 to found at Palo 
Alto the universitv which bears his name. 



l62 THE AI.BAXV RURAI. CKMHTKRV. 

( 'losr lo iIk' Latlnop nionunu'iit is the William Newton 
shapclv shaft of u'lanite. 

A little east of the Lathroi) lot is tlu' niaihle sliaft to 
the nienior\' of Iml^e Rufus \V. Pcxkham, and his wife 
Marie, who died at sea l)\' the sinking o| the steamship 
\'ille i\u llavTi', N'ovi-mlier 22, 1X73. judue i\'ckhani 
was a nalixeof Alhaiiv ct)untv ; for two \ears he was its 
distriet atloniev, anil one term he was its representative in 
congress. He was defeated for attornev-Lreneral hv John 
\'an Huren li\- one vote. In 1859 he was elected justice 
of the supreme couil, and in 1870 to the court ot appeals. 
The last known words of the judi^e as the ship went down 
were characteristic of his whole character: " Wite, we have 
to die ; let us die l)ra\ely," antl clasping her loxed form 
in his arms, thev and 224 others went down into the abyss 
tocrethei. 

Almost opposite (iqi is the marble monument to the 
crood and ecntle William McElrov who tiled in All)an\- 
November 16, 1887, ao;ed 91. 

In this same si'chuled spot is the circular plat of Hillings 
P. Learned ( i i ) with an octagonal pillar of granite. On 
one of the headstones is the touching inscrijjtion: " Wife, 
I thank mv God upon everv remembrance of you." Mr. 
Learned was educated a lawver, having graduated from 
Vale in 1834, but for over thirtv years and till his death in 
1884, was president of the Union Bank of Albany. 

Samuel Hand is buried here, near a canopy of pink gran- 
ite. The inscription reads: "The darkness is past, and the 
true litrht shineth." Mr. Hand was a distinguished lawver, 




DYER LATHROP. 
[Page 161.] 



JOHN V. NOTT. 165 

apitoiiitfd in iS7,S a ju<lj(c of tin- court of a])|)cals to till a 
vacancy, l)Ut soon resumed his very large practice. Ile 
dic-d in 1886. 

Close by the lipplintr stream "where he could hear the 
hrook," is l)uricd Marsliall 'rdihult (ig), a well-known 
Albany uiukrtakci. under a sarcophaji^us of Barre j^ranite. 

Goint( back u]) the hill and around the Tucker monu- 
ment, alon^j the Tour, we pass the Jacob Ilenry < 18), the 
Ll(j\ d-Uickson, the Thomas II. Herring (19) the William 
L. Woolett (^architect) lots and come to the cottage gran- 
ite monument of Bradford R. Wood, a member (>{ the 
29th congress, and minister to Denmark in 1861. Ilis 
son, John llanipdcn, is buried here. 

(Jn the right (19) is the granite monument with cross to 
Gen. John Tavler Cooper, wh(j died in 1878, after being 
for years one of .Albany's social landmarks. Here, also, 
is the grav'e of John C. Nott, one of the most popular 
men of his dav in fraternal and political circles. He was 
the grandson of President Xott of Union college, and 
his mother was a sister of Cen. Cooper. He ser\ed with 
honor as p<dice justice, and as county judge of Albany 
county * 1 884- 1 889). He died in 1890. 

"The graves of the Bridgens" (iSj are on a steep slope, 
and thus designated by a thick marble slab. One of tlic 
Bridgens was surrogate of Albany county in 1822. 

Opposite is the ])edestal and urn of sandstone to John 
V. Henr}- (19), a distinguished lawyer who died in 1829; 
also the grave of Rev. T. F. Wyckoff, who died in the 
West Indies in 1855, aged 34. 



l66 THE ALBANY RURAI. CEMETERY. 

Further along in the hillside are the Brinckerhoff-Piim- 
pelh. rlie Stanford and the Pester-Osterhout Yaults (i8l. 



Beautiful for situation is the William Appleton plat 
(19). in a natural aniphiiheatre with hills all amund from 
which can he caught oHmpses through the foliage of a 
massive sarcophagus of solid granite. Granite coping also 
surrounds the ample lot. from which a path leads down to 
the verv edge of Lake Tawasentha. on which it !u>rders. 
Here sleeps with other members of his familv. William 
Appleton, who fiM" man\ \ ears was one of Alban\""s most 
respectetl citizens. Mr. Appleton was a native of England. 
He came to Albanv in 1832. and began business as a dealer 
in grain. He soon became known as one of the best 
judges of cereals in the state, a t|ualihcation which was 
largelv instrumental in his success in business. He owned 
a large line of barges phing between New York anil 
Albanv, acquired large holdings in real estate, and ulti- 
matelv was connected with manv banks and corporations, 
in all of which he was an important factor. He was a 
man of public spirit, indomitable perseverance, and the 
most sterling integritv ; was a devoted husband and father; 
benevolent without ostentation, and kind and considerate 
towards his emplovees and business associates. He died 
in 1S83, aged 72. His son. William, a popular voung 
man. rests beside him. having lieen cut off in earlv 
manhood. 



(;r,\vks (IK Tiir. .spp:xcf.ks. 169 

THE MIDDLE RIDGE. 

Crossinti- the little stream, we find at the left, a large 
enclosure t 45 ), with several notable monuments, and 
manv interestinu' associations. The Si)encers are I)uried 
here, father and son. Amhrose Spencei', the ekler, was a 
resident of All)an\- from 1S02 till 1S39, durinu" which time 
he was attornev-ji'eneral. justice of the supreme court, chief 
justice, memher of the constitutional commission, member 
of contiress, and ma\or of the citv. Three Mrs. Spencers 
are buried beside him. one d\in>i Ma\- iS, 1S07, one Sejit- 
eml)er 4, 1808 and the thii'd Auo^ust 26, 1837. His third 
wife was the sister of Governor DeWitt Clinton. John C. 
Spencer, son of Ambrose, was even more active in public 
affairs, and particularh' in politics. Like his lather, he 
served in both houses of the leisjislature, and was speaker of 
the asseml)lv in 1820. He was appointed ]iublic [irose- 
cutor in the famous Moruan abduction case, out oi which 
orew the antiAIasonic partw He was secietarv of state, 
antl superintendent of common schools, and in 1841 was 
appointeil secretarv of war under 1~\ ler, and sub<e(!uent!\- 
transferred to the treasury tle])artment. Lntil 1852 he was 
a power in the Whiff jiartv, but after that time withdrew 
from politics. He was one of the commissioners appointed 
bv Governor Clinton to revise the statutes of the state, 
and is re^yarded as having been one of the ablest of 
American law\ers. His monument is a handsome marble 
shaft. 



21 



170 rilK .\1.1!.\N\ KlRAl, rKMKTKKV. 

In tliL' sanir rnclosmv is tin- Jolin 'rownsnul mdininK'nl 
of niailiK'. with !j,ranitr liasr ; and annllici niarlilc nionn- 
inrnt to Isaiah rownscml. onr ot thi' lormiost citi/.cns of 
Allianw Tln'sr two hrothias witi' imrchants in this cit\' 
whi-n till' crnlLiiN' was xonny. 'Vhcv dealt in iron, and 
hccanu' interested in nian\ niannlactm in^ enterjuises hci"e 
and elsewhere. John Townsend was niavor ol the eit\' 
in 1829-31 and iS_:;2-_v lie married a dan^hter ol 
Anilirose Speneer, and died in 1S54. Isaiah Townsend 
died in 1838- -\ .ii'ranite aiiehor in tliis plat is the appro- 
priale testimonial to his son, Ca|)t. Roheat Townsend, 
r. .S. navv, who died in 1 800, a,u"ed 40, at (diin Kianu', 
(diina, whiK- in eommand of the I'. S. S. W'aeluisett. 
lie entered tin- navv in 1837, served tinrinu- the Mexiean 
war, and took a distinynisheil part in the department of 
the (rulf thirinii the relu'llion. Captain Townsend mar- 
ried Harriet Mmiro. of Elliritlyc. N. \'., of a welUknown 
famih" ; tlu-ir son Kohert also lies luiried here. Here also 
are luirieil the remains of T)r. 1 Inward Townsend and 
two of his dauuhters. He was a distinj^uished prolessor 
in the faeiilt\- of the Alli.nn Medie.il eolleg'e, and married 
a daughter of ( ieiKaal Stephen \'an Rensselat'r. the last 
jiatroon. Here also lie the remains ol the wile ol (ien. 
iManklin 'Townsend, the daughter of the welTknown 
hanker, Mr. Rufus 11. Kiny of thiseit\. .Mr. Ilenr\ H. 
Martin, a hanker and husiness man, who married a dauu'htt.a" 
of Isaiah Townsend, is also luiried here with others of his 
famih'. So are the ehiUlren of Gen. Frederiek 'Townsend, 
one a mueh heloved dau<ihter of fourttnai. At her iira\o 



•I'HE ciirkrii (.RufXDs. 171 

stands a sinijularlv handsome jrianite Maltese eross, in the 
centieof whieh a Latin cross is cut throuoh the stone, 
with the heaulifnl result that when the sun is in the 
west there falls upon the little grave, not the shadow, hut 
the sunshine of the cross. 



Here in the hill-side is the John De Puyster Douw tomb 
(52), o-uarded by two iron lions. The Ouackenhusli 
marhle is seen on the right. We now pass up the hill and 
hnd ourselves on the Middle ridge, in the vicinitv of the 
Davis, Wharton and Bovd marbles ( 5 1 ). Still further to 
the left is the new Western lodge, just completed. 

Beyond the lodgi- on the right are the church grounds 
(49), as the\- are called. Here are interred the remains 
that were remo\ed from the old State street burial ground. 
'! his was accomplished in iS6,S, preliminar\- to the hning 
out of Washington park, and was largeh' due to the efforts 
of Peter M. Carmiehael, who as a membi-r of the common 
council was ver\- active in tlu' mo\ement which ma\- be 
said to hax'e originated with him in i,S66. It took con- 
sitlcrable time to get the churches to consent to the 
arrangement, but tlu'\- did so at kist. and the bodies were 
removed b\- contract, the total expense to the cit\-. inckid- 
ingcost of grounds in tiie Rural and St. .\gnes ( 'emeteries, 
being $4S,3 i 5. 

There are few monuments here, but there are many slabs 
which hax'e been laid hori/.ontallw The inscriptions are 
some ol them curious, and more are sad, read as tiiev are 



\J2 THE ALBANY RURAL CEMKTERV. 

now iiinid thr evidences of neglect and lnr<iettidness, cum- 
mo.i to <iravcs of those wliose friends are also all beneath 
the sod, as is the case with the yieat niajorit\- of those who 
lie in this part of the Cemetery. 

The l^lunns of West Trov are lunied in the lot (51) 
around wliich we tnrn backward to explore turther the 
Middle iidi;e. The 1 laniilton cottage marble monnnient 
sumiounted bv a female fionre is noted in tlie same yard 
(S-) with the James Rov marble iieatlstones, each with a 
cross; and the Rov sarcophagus of marble with horizontal 
cross. The Eights marbles and the Cobb granite obelisk 
are neai" b\-. The James A. McKown l;-t is without a 
monument. The John Scott sandstone, handsome in its 
dav, is so no longer. The high marble sarcophagus to 
Roi)ert Hovd (died 1S67), attracts attention i)V its altitude, 
and the Alexander Gray monument by its coat of arms, a 
lion rampant. The M. N. Mead vault is crowned 
with the ligure of an angel. In the Lvman J. Llowl lot 
sleeps one of the old business men of Albanv. The Chapin 
and the \>.u 1 lotfman mariiles are i)assed, anil ojjposite the 
former is the granite shaft to Amos Dean, LL. D., 
author of a Historr of Civilization, in seven octavo volumes, 
and a leading spirit in the organization of the \'oung Men's 
Association of Albanw the oldest of its kind in the eountrv. 

The prominent granite temple ct)vering an urn tidl si.\ 
feet in height and, surmounted by a bronze medallion, b\- 
i'almer, framed in granite, is to the memorv of Dr. Alden 
March, the t'niinent surgeon, a practitioner in .\lban\' tor 
nearU' lift\- Ncars. Thirtv years of this time he was at the 






i '^' 



M 




■;-«;,':a^^^CX' 



■ ■ i 



THOMAS W. UI-CUTT. 



THOMAS \V. OLCOTT. I r -• 

head of the Alhany Medical colleo^c, of which, with Dr. 

Armsl)y, he was the founder and benefactor. Me was also 

a trustee of the Cemetery. 

The Cochran-Walter lot is to the left (53), a horizontal 
.slab recording the death, May 12, 1846, of Rev. William 

Henry Walter. 

At the right (541, on a handsome granite headstone is 
read the New England name of John Cotton Mather, 
born 1S13, died 1882. A little further on is the Raymond 
cottage marble designating where Benjamin C. Raymond 
and family are buried. On this lot stands a granite cross 
of exquisite proportions in memory of Cornelia Caroline 
Van A^echten, wife of George B. Raymond, and daughter 
of Abraham \'an X'echten. Underneath the record 
stands out the always touching aspiration: "Nearer, my 
God, to Thee." 



Now we come to the lots of the Olcott famih". On 
the left (53) upon a tinel\- cut bluestone base rests a sim- 
ply fashioned pedestal, cut from the finest HalUnvell gran- 
ite, and from it rises a plain square equiform shaft of the 
same material about twelve feet in height, which is sur- 
mounted by a cap with a l)asc bearing Egyptian scroll 
work and with a jn-ramidal apex. Just below the coping 
is a bronze medallion portrait l)y Palmer on a square 
bronze background. It is a striking likeness of Thomas 
W. Olcott, to whom, with Rev. Dr. Welch, the Cemetery 
owes its origin. Mr. Olcott was the second president of 
the association, a position he held for more than thirty 



174 THE ALKANV RURAL CEMETP:RV. 

\cars; and from its inception he was a most devoted friend 
and indefatiyahle worker in its interests. The estimation 
he phiceil upon the enterprise is well expressed in the 
woids of the original a])peal made in its liehalt l>v him as 
chairman of a committee to procure the necessary grounds: 

" We have made manv improvements to augment our 
wealth and importance; let us be able to point to one work, 
which we may sa\" has been begun and prosecuted to 
gratifv our taste, our social affections and our higher moral 
sentiments." 

It was this feeling that led him to devote so much of his 
time and thought to t he ad x'ancement of the Cemetery's inter- 
ests, notwithstanding his activitv in business, politics and 
j)ublic affairs. He was the president of the Mechanics 
and Farmers' Bank for fort\-four vears; for a long time 
was United States |)ension agent; was president ot the 
Dudlev observatorv, and an active trustee in the leadingedu- 
cational institutions of the citv. He died March 23. iScSo. 
His wife, who was Miss Caroline Pepoon, died in 1867. The 
monument in itself is plain and simple, with a wreath of 
oak leaves, signifying the sturdy integrity of the great 
fmancier, whose features will always make this memorial 
an object of interest. The plat contains a number of 
Sfraves, and amone them room has been found for 
Rosanna \'osburgh, born June 17, 1800, died 1884, "for 
sixty-three years a faithful colored servant," in the famil\-. 

Tile .\le\antler Mar\in marble sarcophagus, on the right 
(54), is surmounted bv a cross ; back of it is a granite 




AMASA J. PARKER. 



_|ui)(;e amasa j. i'arkkk. 177 

monument to John Pitkin Norton, and nt'ar 1>\- a niarMc 
shaft to Richard Marvin. 

Next is the Thomas Olcott jilat which contains three 
monuments varying; widely in design : One is an octagon 
marble ; another a granite comhinaticjn of sarcophagus, 
headstone and cross ; and the third a cottage monument 
of marble. The latter is interesting as a specimen of 
Palmer's early work. The Ijas-relief represents the 
ascension of the mother who is met in the air by two little 
angels, her children gone before. On the monument is a 
nude statue of Love or Remembrance, writing. This is 
quite unlike anything else in the Cemetery, and has 
attracted attention for many years. 

On the brow of the hill overlooking the lake (54), is a 
lofty granite cross of New Hampshire granite, erected 
after designs by Gibson. It suggests Moorish architecture, 
Christianized by interweaving the sacred monogram in the 
artistic cutting. It is inscribed : 

Fidcli 

Certa 

Merces 

PARKER 

This is the gra\'e of Judge Amasa J. Parker, for many 
years a leading jurist of this state, and one of Albany's 
most respected citizens. He was in the legislature in 1834, 
and in congress in 1S36. From 1844 till 1847 he was 
circuit judge and vice-chancellor, and was then elevated to 
the supreme court bench. He resumed practice in 



178 THE AI.HAXV KTRAI. CEMETERY. 

1855, afUTwaiils hdldinu" no office except as mem- 
ber of the eniistitutional eonvenlion of 1 867-8, although 
twice receiving the tlemoeratie nomination for yovernor. 
He was a reoent of tiie universit\- and hehl manv positions 
of honor and of trust, not the least beino; the custodian for 
twelve vears of the Harmanus Bleecker fund, which was 
tievoted l)\- JLidye Parker Icj the erection of the public hall 
in Alban\ . I le died May 13. 1890, aged 83. His wife, Har- 
riet Langdon Roberts Parker, died June 27, 1889, aged 75. 



in ilie Delavan-Ransom lot {^3) ^^ interred lulward C. 
Delavan, famous throughout the eoumr\ in the early half 
of the present centurv. He was originally a wine mer- 
chant and acquired (piite a fortune, lint becoming con- 
\inccd of the evils of intemperance, turned his own costly 
wines into the street, and devoted himself to the temper- 
ance reform, speaking, writing and jjublishing. At one 
time he owned much real estate in Alban\", including the 
Delaxan house, which he erected and ran for a time as a 
temperance hotel. He died January 15, 1871, aged 78. 

The William l-"owK'r cottage marble monument (54) next 
attracts attention. it commemorates also Rev. Philemon 
H. T'owler ami others. Keeping to the right we see 
one of tiic few memorials here erected b\' other than the 
familv — that to Lewis N. Morris, brevet major U. S. A., 
wiio fell September 21, 1846, at Monterey, in command 
of the 'I'hirtI regiment, V. S. infant rw while leading it to 
the assault. Themonumiait is of sandstone and is a cannon 



DANIEL D. HARNAKD. I yg 

staiKlinii' on its mouth upon a pcclcstal, wiih lla,o- (li-a])C(l 
and hanginjT from it ; and otiicr national and military 
insignia. " Erected l)y citi/cns of Albany to commemo- 
rate the gallantry of the soldier ; the worth of the man." 
The Ford sandstone is in the same lot. 

To the left rises the Dunham marble shaft with cross {^^) ; 
and next to it a shorter one on which is inscribed amono- 
many other names that of Carleton lulwards who died 
September 20. 1862, aged t,^. He was from 1853 to 
1856 editor of the Albany Express, and subsequentlv 
connected with the New York press. 

We turn down the hill to the right, following the Tour, 
leaving at our left the Mead canopy monument of marble 
enclosing urn (561. Nearby is a marble seat. John Meads 
is buried here. The Cemetery had few more constant 
admirers. For years, when the weather was fine, he was 
an almost daily visitor. 

\\'e note the Allen marble cottage monument (55), and to 
the right the Barent Sanders lot (54) crowded with monu- 
ments in marble of various designs. Near bv sleeps 
William Hurst, after whom Hurstville is named. 

In this little valley into which we are now come (56) 
rests the Hon. Daniel D. Barnard, the orator of the open- 
ing of the Cemetery. He died in 1861 ; his wife, who 
sleeps beside him, in 1876. The headstone is of granite 
and there is a cottage monument of marble to Barnard- 
Walsh-DeWitt-Stevenson. Mr. Barnard was a nati\e of 
Sheffield, Mass., was elected district attornev for Monroe 
countv in 1826, subscquentlv was elected to congress, 



l8o THE ALBANY RURAL CEMETERY. 

went abroad, rctuiiu'cl and scttlctl in Albany, served in tlie 
state legislature and a^ain in eonyress from 1839 to 1845. 
From 1850 tt) 1853 he was United States minister to 
Prussia. For thirty years he oeeupied a prominent posi- 
tion in this state. 

Further along is the Bender lot and back of it, the 
Addison Low headstone of polished granite and bronze 
lettering of antique })attern, and then we come to 
thj granite octagon shaft on a massive pedestal to 
George H. Thacher, mavor of Alban\-, 1860-2, 1866-8, 
1870-4. Mr. Thacher for many vears was one of the sub- 
stantial men of the citv, having risen from a poor boy to 
both honor and riches. He died in 1887. He was the 
father of lion. John Bo\^d Thacher who was also mayor of 
the city, and is now a Cemetery trustee. 

The Green and Black granites are noticed, and back of 
them the gothic tablet of sandstone to Leonard Kip, born 
1778, died in Hartford, 1846. 

Several lots along this lovelv road by the ravine are occu- 
pied b\- members of the \'an Rensselaer famih': Solomon, 
died 1852; Richard, born 1797, died 1880; William, died 
1855; Bernard, tlied 1879; G. \\'., lost at sea 1857. Ahirble 
shafts and granite sarcophaguses mark the different spots. 

Gen. Solomon \'an Rensselaer was a brave and dashing 
.soldier, who, raising a \'olunteer company of cavalry joined 
Mad Anthony Wayne in the Miami cami)aign, and in a 
light with the Indians in August, 1794, at Maumee Rapids, 
was shot through the lungs. A litter was sent to take him 
off the battle-held, but he wouUl ha\e nothing- to do with it. 



GEN. SOI.OMOX VAX REXSSKI.AER. l8l 

"How do vou expect to go, you young dog?" roared Gen- 
eral Waxne. " I am an officer (^f cavalry," was the reply, 
"and I am going on horseliack." "Vou will drop hv the 
roadside," said the general. "If I do," said this stripling 
of 20, "just throw a blanket over me and let me die." But 
he didn't drop, and he didn't die. Riding his own horse, 
on which he was lifted, and with one of his own company 
on each side, he was supported five or six miles to a j)lace 
of safety, ami in due time recovered from what was sup- 
posed to be a fatal wound, to lead the assault on Queens- 
ton Heights, October 13, 1S12. Being the first of 225 
men to spring ashore he formed them under a heav\- fire, 
climbed the bank and drove the enemy, at the point of the 
bayonet, but fuKdly fell with several wounds. He lived to 
l>e a member of congress, and from 1822 to 1839 was post- 
master of Albany. His tlaughter Catherine, wife of Rev. 
S. \V. Bonne\-, who died June 29, 1891, is burietl here. 

Opposite the bridge crossing the glen is a high polished 
granite shaft to Alexander and William Orr. Leaving the 
bridge down the hill and keeping to the right we pass the 
granite cross of Joseph B. Taylor and of John Taylor (57), 
names long associated with the brewing interests of Albany. 
John Ta\lor was ma\or in 1848-9. 

The Spalding-Robbins light granite (621, tall and grace- 
ful, is at the left ; and here is buried Col. lulward A. 
Springsteed of the 7th X. V. artillery, killed in battle 
at Ream's Station, Va., August 25, 1864. On the right 
in the hill-side, is the E. C. Mcintosh marble vault 162^ 
with wintied houro-lass. 



1 82 THE ALBANY RURAL CEMETERY. 

We arc now on the 1)()1(1lts of ( "onsccration lake, so 
calleil because the ceremonv of the consecration of tlie 
<i;rounils took pkice here. 

Passino; downward to the left we note in solitary loneli- 
ness the Vates-Satterlee toml) (62). 

The pretty road soon leads us out into sight of the 
world again, and the chapel, whence we take Bower Hill 
Way up the hill, noting on our left the E. L. Pasco gran- 
ite cross and the Charles Mcintosh marble images (62). 
The Draper lot has no monument. The William C. Smith 
light granite sarcoiihagus is handsome. The Cowell- 
Clark shaft of maihle is passed and we arrive at one of 
the most notable objects on the ground — the Burden 
Yault (61) — erected in 1850. Its elaborate marble tracery 
and its dogs of marble have long been subjects of much 
comment. In front of the tomb a great marble book lies 
open u|)on a marble desk or j)ulpit with marble cushion 
and tassles. On the right hand page of this book we can 
read, by ascending two stejis, the following: 

Sacred 

to the memory of 

HENRY BURDEN. 

He was born in Sterling Shire, 

Scotland, April 22, 1791; died 

in Troy, Jan 19, 187 i. 

Endowed by Providence with an intellect 

marked by strength and originality, 

he early formed a taste for the study 

and application of the laws and forces 

of Nature, and became the author of 

several mechanical inventions which 

have served to lighten human toil and 



THE BURDENS. 183 

promote human happiness 

The Results of his Creative Genius 

are known in all parts of the civilized world 

and have secured for him a high 

place among the benefactors of the race. 

Commanding in person, honest in his 

dealings with his fellow man ; affable 

in social life, liberal in his benefactions. 

Refined and loving in his family, with a 

simple faith in his Redeemer he closed 

his useful life on earth, and has entered 

into the rest which remaineth for the 

People of God. 

On the left hand page is the followino: eompinion 
inscription: 

Sacred 

to the memorj' of 

HELEN, 

wife of 

Henry Burden. 

She was born in Sterling Shire, 

Scotland, Feb 13, 1803, died in 

Troy. March 10, i860. 

Noble in person, refined in manners, 

prudent in counsel, faithful in friendship. 

generous in benevolence, sincere in religion, ° 

With all the virtues in happy combination 

she beautifully adorned the relations 

of Daughter, Sister, Wife and Mother, 

and has left an example worthy of 

studv and imitation. 



" A perfect woman, nobly planned, 
To warn, to comfort and command 
And yet a spirit still and bright 
With something of angelic light." 

" Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband, also, and 
he praiseth her." — Prov. xxxi. 



184 THK AI.r.AXV KIKAI. (KMKTKRV. 

Mr. HurilL'ii chose to he an imiMitor hi'forc he canii- to 
this coLintiN", and prcparnl himself thtii-for In- a thorouiih 
course in luhnl)ury'h. Ilehetian witli a^ricuUural imple- 
nicnts, and was fairlv successful, patentinti- the lirst cuhiva- 
tor invented in this country. In 1 S40 he invented a 
machine for makiuQ' hook-headed raihoad spikes, without 
which it is (hflicult to see iiow tiie ])ro<iress of raihoad 
huikUng coukl luue been so great, for spikes couUl not 
have been made l)v hanti fast cnouii'h to supplv the demand. 
His greatest success, however, was a machine hv which a 
rod of iron could he turned into comi)lcte horseshoes at 
the rate of sixtv shoes a minute; that is, a dav's labor of 
two men accomplished in sixty seconds. Mr. Burden 
ol)tained patents for this inventitm from nearh' every 
government in luuope. The works at TroN', which can 
be seen from the spot where he lies, became among the 
most extensive in the world. 



The Shibboleth B. McCoy vault is at the right, and in 
this direction is the grave of Capt. John A. Morris, of 
the 7th N. \'. Heavy Artillery, killetl while leading his 
men into action at Spottsylvania, May 19, 1864; also the 
graves of two brothers, .Ashley T. and Augustus \'aughn 
who died in the war; and of Hugh McDonnald (60), for 
manv vears emplowd in the State hall. 

A monument much criticised is that of Ozias Hall (61). 
It is of marble with sandstone trimmings of an umbrella 
shajie giving it the efTect of a Chinese pagoda. Just 



l«l>' 




►J i 

i s. 



THK AN.NKKF jANS MOXLM KN 1 . 185 

hcyond is the simple sarc()|)ha,<rus to Edward NL-\vcomb, 
an Alhany lawyer still well remembered. 

Turning baek, and to the left of the Burden lot, we note 
the military monument to Capt. John Wilson, _|^-d X. \\^ 
who died in iS6_|, of wounds reeeived while repell- 
ing a eharge of the enem\- in the battle (if the Wilder- 
ness. 

Opposite, on the hill (6i i, are the granite monuments 
to Townsend and Isaac Fondey ; one of them almost an 
exact copy of the Marcy monument which we shall see 
further on. 



The octagonal sandstone, tall and shapely, erected by 
Blandina Dudley to Charles i:. Dudlev in 1863, is inter- 
esting for several reasons. Mr. Dudley, who died in 1841, 
aged 60, was mayor of Alban\- in 182 1-4 and 1828-9. He 
was also state and I'nited States senator. His wife, Mrs. 
Blandin.i, daughter of Rutger Bleeckcr, from whom she 
iniierited great wealth, founded the Dudlev ol)ser\<Uory, 
in 1852, giving $105,000 to that object, which also found 
a warm friend and earnest helper in Mr. Thomas W. 
Olcott. 

This monument has a special interest to the Anneke 
Jans claimants, who. at one time, were active in their efforts 
to obtain untold millions from Trinitv church, in New 
York city. Among several inscriptions are the following, 
the one in relation to Anneke Jans ha\ing been care- 



23 



1 86 



lllE AI.r.AW KlRAl. CKMKTERV. 



fulh" ct)i»icil man\' times as jiart of "the cclchiatcd case:" 
Under 



the 
Middle 
Dutch 
church 

in 
Hudson St. 

are 
deposited 
the remains 
of our 
ancestors 
taken 
from the 
ohi churcii 
in State St. 



Amona; them 

are those of 

Anneke Jantz 

Bogardus, 

Jan Jansen 

Bleecker 

& Rutger Jacobson 

who laid the 

Corner-stone 

of the old church 

above-named, A. D. 1656. 



Jan 

Jansen 

Bleecker 

came 

from 

Meppel 

Province 

of 
(Jveryssel 
Holland, 

to 
America 
A. D. 
1658 



Married Margaret 

daughter 
of Rutger Jacobson 
& grand-daughter of 
Anneke Jantz Bogardus 
1667 



Mayor of Albany, A. D., lyoo 
His son John 
succeeded him as 
Mayor of Albany, 1701 
His 2nd son Rutger 
was Mayor of Albany 
A. D. 1726-27-28. 
Charles Edward Dudley born May 23d, 1780 at Johnson's Hall 
Stafford Shire England, Baptised in the parisii church of Eccles hall 
by the Rev. Dr. Catlovv, Departed this Life Jan 23 1841 at his resi- 
dence in the city of Albany with the Christian's blessing. Beloved 
and Honored by all. He has e.xchanged his mansion on Earth for 
a more enduring one in Heaven in the hope of a blessed Immortality. 
Blandina Bleecker relict of Charles E. Dudley born Oct i, 1783 
died March 6, 1863 aged 80 )-ears & 5 months. 

Mary Ann only sister of Charles E. Dudley died Dec 12, 1806 at 
New York Aged 23 years Her remains were placed under the old 
Dutch Church now Post-office N. York. 



MAkiix VAX i!rKi:x'.s LOT. 1S7 

Opposite the Annekc Jans monument, as it is po|)ulailv 
called, is seen in the \\indei|)oel-\'an Buren lot 162) an 
Italian marble cross with sculptured ivv, in memory of 
John \'an Buren, son of Martin antl Ilaniet \'an ikiren, 
born February 10, 1810; died at sea, Octoi)er 13, 1866, on 
the voyatie from Liverpool to New York. " Prince John," 
as he was called, played an active part in politics for a time; 
was popular and handsome, and held hijih rank as a lawver. 
He was attorney -freneral in 1845-6. 

It is not generally known that a lot in the Cemeterv 
stands in the name of Martin \'an Buren himself, the 
eighth president of the United States, but such is the case, 
and it may be found just east of the \'an Buren cross (62), 
a small triangular plat on which a tree is growing and 
beside it a cedar post about two feet high. Nailed to the 
top of the post is a coffin plate of copper on which is 
engraved: 

Roger Skinner 

Died 19 Aug, 1825 

Aged 52 ys & 2 mos. 

This is said to be the grave of a law partner of \'an 
Buren's for whose last resting [ilace he made ])ro\-isi(jn i>y 
purchase of the lot and remo\al thither of the remains. 

We now dim!) Bower hill, noticing on the Burton lot (61 j 
a monument to Otis Allen. The B. F. .Smith sandstone 
occupies a commanding position (59), around which we 
keep the Tour to the right, past "the famih' of the Soul- 
dens" with its row of seven marble urns at the head of 
seven marble slabs (6 1). Rev. Rodman H. Robinson, D. D., 



i88 TiiK ai.i;ann- rirai, ckmkterv. 

who (lied in i S86, is Imiicd on the ri,u"ht, and A. 1*. St. lolin 
who died April 23, 1875, on the left (59). Near l)\' is the 
lot of f. \V. Morangc approaehed lt\- maihle steps and 
contaiiiiuii" two simple cfosses. Next is the Mounsev lot 
full of unmarked g'l'aves. The Cohei' and tlie Dennis 
granites, the Gihhs, the Wilbeck and the Silliman-hineii 
lots are the most notable along here until we come to a lot 
sloping towards the ra\'ine, on which are horizontal slabs 
of polished granite ox'cr the graves of Mr. and Mrs. (lorham 
A. \\\)rth (bo). Mr. Worth was both a banker and a 
man of letters. He was at first teller in the Mechanics and 
l"'armers' I5ank, afterwards cashier of the United States Hank 
in Cincinnati, and for the last thirty years of his life presi- 
dent of the New York Citv Bank. He died in 1S56: his 
wife in 1 Sbi. 

The l(jt of Cien. John 1\ Rathbone (60), a trustee of the 
Cemetery is yet without a moninnent. 

We kee|) to the left, [jassing around the Trotter lot (59); 
leaying the W'aldron sandstone and the Egbert Egberts 
marble (58) at the right. Mr. Egberts was the father of 
the knitting buMiiess as carried on to .so great an extent in 
Cohoes, and in other i)arts of the country. He, with 
Timothy Baile\', started the iirst mill at Cohoes in 1832, 
the invention of the machines being kept guarded for some 
time iimler careful lock and key. Today there are twenty- 
tiye of these mills in that city alone, gi\ing emi)loyment to 
oyer 4,000 hands. 

We soon come to the James Croold and Sanuu'l X'ail 
and Cutk'r lot with its hea\\- granite; then the Jared llolt 



WILLIAM L. MAkiA'. 1 Sg 

inaihlc shaft; the granite to Rcw Oscar H. rrreg-ory, D. D., 
dic'tl 1SS5; on the left a monument and urn to William T. 
Rudd; on the right the Lobdell, the Meneelw the Fraser, the 
Tucker and the Mather marliles; on the left the Hitchcock 
shaft, the Flaswell cottage monument of marhle, the Flatt 
granite shaft, the Lawrence and the Washbiirne marhies, 
the George L, Jones granite and others, inckuling one to 
Capt. A. M. Hitchcock who died in 18S3 (all these in 58 
and 59). Then we come to the oval lot in which is 
interred 1-Lzra Ames, a portrait painter, who died in Albany 
February 23, 1 836. He attained considerable local celebrit\- 
as an artist, and was also at one time president of the Far- 
mers and Mechanics' Bank. His son Angelo Ames, who 
died in 1886, is buried here. 

At the right is the Rufus King A'iele familv lot with a 
marble cottage monument. luist of the Ames lot are the 
Fitch-Cusack-Salisbury marbles, and the Schuvlerlot iilled 
with many graves around a tall marble pillar (59J. 



Close to the ravine on the south 1621 is the grave of 
William L. Marcy denoted by a large granite stone with 
urn. Xo man tilling a larger place in historv sleeps in the 
l^ural Cemetery. Soldier, editor, lawyer, politician, adju- 
tant-general, state comptroller, justice of the supreme 
court. United States senator, governor of the state of New 
York for three terms, secretary of war under Polk, secre- 
tary of state under Fierce, he was regarded not only as 
an expert tactician, but as a statesman of rare administra- 



I go 



TlIK All'.AXN' kUKAI. CK-MKIKRV. 



tivc ahililw Ik' died in Hallston Spa, Julv 4, 1857, hcinu" 
found lifeless in his lilirar\' witii an open hextk hefore him. 
Ml". Alarcv was the son-indaw of Benjamin Knower who 
formerly ownetl the Middle ridge, and his exeeutor, and 
it was from him that the ( "emeterv association aeiiuireil 
title to the land. In earl\- life Mr. Marcv was a fretjuent 
visitor to this particular spot, and he often alluded to the 
pleasure he had taken here. After the Cemetery was 
established he fre(|uentl\' expressed the wish to he huried 
in the s|)ot where he had s])ent so much tinii' in reatling 
and in contemplation, antl this desire was accordingly 
fullilled. His funeral jirocession was over two miles in 
length, twenty-seven militarv and seventeen tne companies 
participating in the obsequies. The monument to Governor 
Marcv was designed bv his friend Palmer, the sculptor. It 
is simple, solid and enduring. It is among the first granite 
memorials erected here, and there was a serious (piestion at 
the time whether granite would ever be accepteil for that 
purpose, so firmh' then was marble established as tiie 
favorite. 

A little further west is the Gotbic marble to Benja- 
min Knower. Mr. Knower was a resident of Albany for 
nearlv fortv vears. Flis trade was that of a hatter, but 
he engaged in important linancial enterprises, and from 
1821 to 1824 was state treasurer. He died in 1839. The 
lot o\erlooks Consecration lake with its ever plaving 
fountain. The medallion portrait of Mr. Knower might 
easilv be taken b)r the first Najjoleon whom he was said to 
resemble. It will lony- have a special interest because of 



KKV. RAV I'AI.MKK, 1). D. igj 

the tact that it was the first piece of marhle into which the 
sculptor, Mr. E. T). Pahner. ever i)ut a chisel, lie was 
an intimate friend of the familv, and there is also a 
classical urn upon this lot with an iileal head rejjresenting 
Sleep, which is his work. 



Turnincr hack we pass again to the left l>v the Henry 
Kimherlv urn (581 and the Isaac A. Lawson lot {56), and 
ni a little while come to the cottage granite monument to 
Rev. Ray Palmer, D. D.. for sixteen vears pastor of the 
Congregational church in Alhany. and widelv known and 
loved as a hvmnologist, as such holding first place among 
American writers. His hvmn, - Mv faith looks uj) to 
Thee," has been translated into more than twentv langua<i:es. 
Others best kncnvn are: 

" Fount of everlasting love." 

" Thou who roll'st the year around." 

"Away from earth my spirit turns." 

" Stealing from the world away." 

" Before Thy throne with tearful eyes." 

" Wake Thee, O Zion; Thy mourning has ended." 

" When downward to the darksome tomb." 

"And is there. Lord, a rest?" 

"O sweetly breathe the lyres above." 

" Eternal Father, Thou hast said." 

"Jesus, Lamb of God, for me." 

"Take me. Oh my Father, take me." 

"Thou, Saviour from Thy throne on high." 

" Lord, Thou on earth didst love Thy own." 

Dr. Palmer died in Newark, X. f., in 1887. 



iq2 •I'lii: am;\\\ Rru\i. ( km i; ii:kv. 

W'r |iass llic W'.ilson, llu' Ixoss, {\\c Aiulicw Douw 
l.ansiiii; ami tlir Aiincslrv i^ianiu- (5S1, luriiin<; to the K'lt 
ai'duiul tlic Wilson ir.arhlc. 



'riu' (ian^c\ ocirt lul conlains two iiioiiunu nls. To ihc 

riylu, is oiu' in wiiili' niarhK'. rrrclrd in iSi j, al the aiavc 

of Hriy'.-(icn. iV'trr ( ianse\(i(irt. J uiu., and rc|)lacr(l hciv, 

attt'iwaids, when (irn. ( lanscvooil's it'iiiains wfic, on tlir 

oiH'tiiiiii" of the C\'nuicr\, iciiUcnrd in this lot. It ln-ars 

this insci i[)lion: 

"To ihc nieniDiy of I'ctcr Gaiisevoort Junr a Hriija(li<.T-{ieiu-ral 
in the army of I ;e United States, who died on the 2d day of Jnly 
1812 aged 62 years, 11 niuntlis and 16 days. He served nnder 
Montgomery in Canada in 1775; in 1777 defended Fort Sianwix 
against St. Ledger, thei-ehv preventing his jnnetion witli Burgoyne, 
and died in active command, al llie heginiiing of the war of 1812." 

'Id wiiich are added the words: 

" Here Slanwi.x's L'luef and lirave detender sleeps." 

It is also inserilii-d with tin- name of Catherine \'an 
Schaiek. wife of I'eter ( "lanscvooit Jinir. and the reeord, 
Dii'd 1 )eeenilKM' _;o 1 S :;o. .X^ed 7S \ ears, 4 nionlhs, 14 days. 

( )n the left, is a niominient, in oraidte, on whieh arc 
inserilied the following nanu'S and leeords: 

Petri- (iansovoort, ISnrn I )ecend)er 22, 1789. Died .'annarv 4, 1876. 

Marv, daiigliter of Nathan Sanford, wife of Peter (iansevoort, 
Born March 20 1814. Died I^eliniary 5. 1841; and tiicir infant 
clnldren Mary, Isaac, and Herman. 

Susan, dangiiter of .Miraham (I. Lansing, wife of Peter (ianse- 
voort; Born December 12, 1805. Died October 28, 1874. 

Henry S. (iansevoort, U. S. Army. Born Decemiier 15, 18^4 
Dietl April 12, 1871. 



THE C.WSKVOdRT LOT. 1 95 

Headstones also mark the uraxcs of those whose names 
are recorded on the granite monument, notablv, that upon 
which the inscription is to Henry O. (iansevoort. Captain 
U. S. Artillery, Brevet Lieut.-Col. U. S. Armv, died Ai)ril 
12, 1871. Other mural stones of more ancient date i)ear 
records as follows: 

In memory of Maria \'an Schaick relict of Wessel \'an Schaick, 
who died Januar}' 31, 1797 aged 79 years & 7 months. 

In memory of Harme Gansevoort of the city of All)anv, merchant : 
who died on tiie 7th of March 1801 : Aged 88 y. 7 m. 17 d. and of 
Magdalena, his wife, who died on the 12th of I)eceml)er 1796. Aged 
78 y. 2 m. 

In memory of Maria W. Van Schaick eldest daughter of Wessel 
and Maria Van Schaick deceased who died the i6th day of August 
1813. Aged 67 \-ears & 22 days. 

Sacred to the memory of Henry Sanford son of Xathan Sanford 
Born i6th of February 1816. Died 29th of July 1832. 

Wessel Ganseyoort Died August 7 1862 In the 80th year cpf hi-, 
age. 



The \V. C. Young ol)long Mock of polished granite 
i)ears date November 2^. 1799. On this lot is a remark- 
able old slab with the following inscription: 

Here lyes interd Here lyes interrd 

the remains of John ye Remains of Dayid 

Young who was born Young who was liorn 

in the isl of Bert in the parish of Tahbovn 

near Londonderry County of Dongall 

in the kingdom of Kingdom of Ireland, 

Ireland He departed He departed this life 

this life June 20 Dec 24, 1776, 

1730, Age 107. Aged 94 years. 

Cenotapli 

Removed from Worcester, Mass 



Ig6 THE ALBANY RURAL CEMETERY. 

Thr Israel Smith niarlilc monument with inverted turch, 
comes next, and then the \erv tasteful sarcophagus of pink 
westerlv granite, to the memorv of Jesse C. Potts 155). 
Jesse C. Potts was a life-long resident of Alhanv. I'mm 
a poor l)ov, without aid from others, he became a man of 
wealth, honored and respected. 

The Sheargranite shaft is passed and we come to the White 
lot which has several handsome stones, including a large 
marble monument to John G., William and Andrew White, 
a sarcophagus and several granite pieces. We note the 
Allen red sandstone, the Mdwartl Todd monument and the 
Dunham lot, around which we pass into the Tour; also the 
lot of Theodore Olcott with its beds of mvrtle. A number 
of oUl slabs will i)e found on the Fassett lot. At the left, 
just above Indian lake, is a tall marble to Dr. R. 11. 
Thompson (531 who died in 1.^84. Xext to him is a lot 
owned bv the late ex-Speaker Little John of Oswego. 



Surrounded and secluded b\- tall Xorwav spruces stands 
a cross of granite to the memorv of one, who for more than 
a generation was a notable hgure in Albanv life and All)anv 
societv — Joim \'an Schaiek Lansing Pru\"n. All three 
names are prominent among the earlv settlers from Ilol- 
land, and of their descendants there is perha|)s no one who 
better represents what is most |)raiseworth\' in the race 
from which he sprang than ditl he who sleeps beneath those 
solemn shadows. He was a regent of tiie unixersitv for 
more than thirtv vears, fifteen of which he was chancellor. 



Jiilix V. L. PRUVX. 199 

It was his pleasure clurino; that time to c.\em])lifv, in tlie 
highest degree, the hospitality for which the eitv of Albanv 
is noted. The university convocation and the reagents' ex- 
aminations are l>otli due to his efforts. In his profession 
of the law he ranketl with the ablest, both in theorv and 
practice. He drew the consolidation agreement bv which 
the railroads lietween .\ibanv and Buffalo were united in 
the Xew \'ork Central. He was once a member of the 
state senate, giving his salary to the poor of the citv. He 
served several terms in congress with distinction. As one 
of the commissioners of the capitol he laid the first stone 
in that $20,000,000 building. He was ])resident of the 
state board of charities, of the state survev, of the Albanv 
institute, and was connected in an active cajjacitv with 
many other representati\-e organizations of an educational 
and benevolent character, b^or twentv-hve vears he held 
the Harmanus Bleecker trust bequeathing it to Amasa J. 
Parker. He entered upon his rest Xovemi)er 21, 1S77. 



* 



200 THE AI.IIANV RURAL CEMETKRV. 



THE NO Kill klDGE. 

Here we take leave of the Miildle ridtie and eioss the 
bridcfe over the Kromme Kill, ))a^sin<'- in \-ie\v of Indian 
lake, to the third division. 

Taking; the Tour to tiie left we note the lots and monu- 
ments of Bovd, j. X. Parker 'Jjl the oetaii'onal marble of 
Ghapin and Samuel G. Gourtney (of New ^'ork ) marble, 
the \Valdron red yranite and the Anderson marble. 

From here a fine view of the extension tn Intlian lake 
will be afiforded when that imiMovement now in progress 
is completed. This is the oldest part of the Gemetery; 
that is, lots were sold at low prices in this portion when the 
Gemeterv was first opened, and it was soon occupied. 

We i)ass rapidlv bv the Phillii)s lot leaving Saw\-er to 
the riyhl, noting the Kirchner granite cottage monument 
with urn (89), the (ieorge F. Storrs granite, the lletrick, 
the Fred Ilinckel, the Fauncelot Bew granite ; turn to the 
right j)ast Dr. Mincklev; tiien sharplv to the left past 
S. \'. R. Bravton (92) along Wild Rose avenue, past 
Oua\-le, Gapt. \\'. T. Wooley of the Albany Republican 
artillerv who died at (ieorgetown, I). G., 1861; and the 
grave of another soldier, Lieut. George S. jnp[), who died 
in Savannah after cajjtivitv at Andersonx'ille; I^atrick 
Shaw (93): turn to the right before Abraham Burbank and 
Beckett. Turn to the right again, noting on the left 
Owen and Tremper, past Holconib and the neat granite 
sarcophagus to Ernest Zeller (93). 



JOHX A. LUBV. 20 r 

Across the lots north of the Holcomh monument will he 
founel the irrave of Gen. George Cooke who died January 
12, 1873. ^''- Co(jke should be remembered, if for 
nothing- else, for the fact that he gave to the \'oung 
Men's Association $1,000 which was spent between 1834 
and 1852 for books of his own selection, man\' of which 
remain in the lil)rar\-. His bust was for some time in the 
rooms of the association, but was hnallv deposited upon 
his grave (95), and is the only bust in the Cemetery. 

The graves are verv manv here and it is impracticable to 
more than mention now and then a lot or monument. In 
section 95 near Meadow avenue, Alvah Phelps, at one time 
a citv missionary in the employ of the State Street Presby- 
terian church, is buried. In this same section is the grave 
of Samuel Mull, worthv descendant of a Holland familv 
who came to New \'ork in 1634, and bought land both 
sides of the Hudson. Going back to Meadow avenue and 
turning to the left past Wasserbach, we find the simply 
marked grave (95) of John A. Lul)y, of steamer company 
No. 2, who lost his life with Frederick J. Wallen and 
Daniel Wheeler while bravely fighting fire on North Pearl 
street, Julv 12, 1885. There is nothing of this on the head- 
stone, only the touching word " papa." Wallen is buried 
in section 107 and NN'heeler in the Jewish cemetery. 

Passing the neat granite headstone of William H. Terrell 
(94), we go around Featherly to the right, past the Kennech', 
the Hughes, the Cornelius Glen; now to the left and on 
the right we come to the Cohoes colony (85) comprising 
manv handsome and modern Q'ranitc monuments, among 



202 I'llK ALBANY KL'KAI. CEMETERY. 

the principal ones, luistman, Alfred Lcnn', Alilctt, W bite, 
Cartwriirht, Sessions, Auer, Keller, Georo^e C. 'I'lionias. 
HarnKin. Xntall, Dovle. ('ampliell. Warhurst, Horrucks- 
\"an Bentlunsen, Dixon, Schant/., Bclser. On the left 
(84) John llills, Collins, Esjgers. We turn auain to the 
ritjht, past the \'an Auken granite (85), the Fulgraff marble 
on the left (86), the Moore oranite, and note the monu- 
ment to Rev. Henry A. Raymond who died in 1S77, and 
next to it the Eldred shaft, the Bissikummer and the 
Severence lots; H. A. Dwight's neat vacant lot, Jacob I. 
Wendell's, John (rav's ; turn to the left, past Dyer and 
lohn Ebel, and again to the left and we find the Sawyer 
marble shaft on the right. This is Arbor water. The 
Granger, lohn Cook and Alexander Dickey lots i)order 
here. Again to the right we pass John Bridgford's sand- 
stone (87), the Williamson red granite (■j^) and the Keyes 
granite. 

The Hendriek Hallenbakeor Hallenbeek ground on the 
right contains manv graves. To this spot were removed, 
in i860, the contents of a famih' burving ground which had 
occupied the southwest corner of South Pearl and Hamil- 
ton streets since the middle of the last centurw when it 
was set apart bir that pui'pose by Hendrik Halenbeek. 
His will provided that the heirs must maintain it, but the 
male descendants became dispersed, and its support became 
quite a burden to a few individuals, mostly women; finally 
it was decided that it should be .sold for taxes, and after 
a special act of the legislature had been passed for the pur- 
pose, this was done. Title was thus obtained for a thousand 



Till; SOI.DIKRS PLAT. 



203 



years and the land liriny' thus made availahlc, the ])n)eeeds 
provided the means fur the purchase in the Rural Cemetery 
of thirty-seven lots and the erection of a monument lo the 
original Halenbeck. Amony those huried there aie the 
Austins, the McHar.QS antl Jolui O. Cole, for manv years 
police justice in this citv. 

\Ve pass the McClelland marhle, the Burch lot and the 
jiolished granite block to Charles E. Rancour, the stone 
to Rev. John Miles, who died September 9, 1871, the 
Henry Weber lot and the Allen i)olishe(l granite. 



At a special meeting of the trustees held June 17, 1S62. 
it was ordered " that a sufficient and suitable piece of ground 
be set apart to inter the remains of officers and soldiers of 
the army of the union who have fallen, or who ma\- fall in 
endeavoring to suppress the present rebellion." A com- 
mittee was appointed consisting of Mr. Olcott, Mr. Stronfj, 
Dr. March; the superintendent, J. W. Greene, and the 
engineer, B. A. Thomas, to carry this order into effect, and 
these grounds were selected, where 147 are buried. 

At the east side of the plat is a soldiers' monument of 
granite, consisting of three large bases on which rests a 
plinth into the panels of which are set bronze plates bearing 
the names of 648 heroes of the war. Above the ])linth is 
a cap on which rests the die ornamented bv a medallion 
head of Lincoln. On the die rests the cajiital on which 
stands a bronze soldier at parade rest. 

This memorial was the work of some vears. The monu- 




'^^ PtUSK^, 



Till-: Sdl.DIKkS MONUMENT. 2O5 

mcnt was first placed in position in 1870, at a cost of 

$2,215, '"^'t ''^'^^'^ 'i"t then completed owina; to the failure of 

the person em])li)\cd and paid for the work. The formal 

dedication took place May 30, 1872, with oraticnis bv 

Capt. John Palmer antl Col. Hale Kingslcy, the tablets at 

that time haviny- been inserted. i)ut the statue of the soldier 

was not placed in position till 1875. A dollar subscription 

raised in 1S65 for a monument to Lincoln and amountintr 

to $1,958 was devoted to this purpose, and some $2,500 

additional was contributed in 1874-5. The cannon from 

which the tablets were made were obtained through Hon. 

Eli Perrv, representati\e in ccniyress. 

It is not, however, the monument that most attracts 

attention here. More ekjquent than sculpture or epitaph 

are the rows of headstones bearina;, (ov the most part, onlv 

name and dates and number of the retriment. Euloirv 

seems almost out of place in the presence of the <rreat fact 

that these men and thousands upon thousands like them, 

laid down their lives in the defense of their countrv — of our 

countr\'. 

" C^n fame's eternal camping ground, 
Their silent tents are spread, 
And glory guards wit 1 solemn round, 
The bivouac of the dead. " 



Goino^ eastward around the Buna \'ista turn we pass the 
Gillespie lot and farther on the red sandstone urn or vase 
of Welch, the Alvord lot, the Bancroft monument with 
open Bible, the Cameron <iranite, a soldier's headstone to 



2o6 



rilK Al.r.W V Klk.M. ^KM1^■|■KK^•. 



Si-Tut. l\CL'il I,. Iivown, 4lh lir.u \ arlilk'i\', ;i \iclim of 
l,ilili\' jiiison; tlu' ("lillonl !iranili'. 1 lu- I )iiliw yianilr hlock, 
and (in tin; iiunind aiiiund wliich wc lurn, l hr lUiri pillar 
of mailiK' with draprd urn. The vii-w from this pdinl. 
allluiuuh (il)slructi'd li\- decs, is cliarniinL;- in il> uiini])srs. 
TL'rracc after terrace descends io the grounds below. 
Directlv opposite is lunicd Charles \"an /andt (73I, for 
nian\- \earsa nianayer ol thealfairsof the \'an Renssclaeis. 
("loiny' west as.i"ain we |)ass tlu' jacUson-l-.win^- liirncr 
yranite, and on tlie hill tlu' I'laljoratc cottaiic marble to John 
anil Jacob ( 'u\ ler. W'c ])ass the Sturyess, the Lonii", the 
Hatcher and lusher liranites. and slop to look at the soldier- 
like yranite colimm, smniounled b\' a bronze eayk' (7.1). 



Col. |ohn Mills, to whose nK-morv this column was 
erected, like Napoleon, was the 'Subject of two limerals. 
He fell at the he.ul of hi^ rcuiment, Ma\- 2q. iSi;,, while 
rcpulsinLi' the Biitish arm\- at Sacketts Harbor. After the 
retreat of the taiem\ . his bodv was borne, ni'.xt d.iv, to 
Watertown ,nul biuied. Hisi;ia\c was left unmaikcd till 
1S4V when members of tlie .\lb,m\ Republican artillcr\' 
(a compan\' oroanizt'd b\- C'ol. Mills in iSoqi, were per- 
mitted bv tlie Icuislatmi', to deposit the bod\ in Cajiitol 
park at Alban\. Arranj.iemcnts were accordinul\ made 
for its transfia- which was ac-eomplished amid appiopiiate 
militar\ honors at Sacketts Harbor, ()swei;(i. S\iacuse, 
Scheneclach' (where the bod\' remained o\i'r niiiht), Trov, 
and linalh' Alb.mv, where the larsicst milit.irv, ma>onic and 



COI,. JlillN MILLS. 207 

ci\'il paiadc ever seen here at that time was made, as tlir 
body was taken from tlie foot of North l"cn\- street to 
Capitol park. 

This was May 29, 1844, only a few months before the 
Rural Cemetery was conseerateil. l'"or nearh forl\- \ears 
the i)ones of the old heio lemained undisturbed, but with- 
out further honor and but \er\" little notiee. No stone 
marked the [daee. The old eajiitol was torn down, the 
park beeame a waste, bo\s used it for a ball ground, the 
grass was worn off, tras'eling quacks and curbstone |)cddlers 
gathered there, nothing could have been more tlrearv or 
common-place, or less a])]iropriate a spot for the hero of 
Sacketts Harbor: 

But little he recked, and they let him sleep on. 
In the a^rave where the soldiers had laid him. 

Finallv he was thotiuht'of; the matter was agitated; it 
was declared to be a shame tiiat one of tiie country's 
defenders should longer be dishonored by neglect. The 
legislature was appealed to, commissioners were a])j)ointed, 
an appropriation of $2,500 was obtained, and on Memo- 
rial dav, May 30, 1883, just seventy years from the date 
of his first burial, for the third, and presumably the last 
time, the lemains (jf Col. John Mills were placed in the 
bosom of the earth. A second great parade took place; 
the militar\-, the Masons, the Grand Army turned out in 
force; there were orations by (ialen K. Hitt and James 
E. Morrison; full honors were paid, and the monument to 
which we have come was then unveiled. It is a shaft 



20S THE ALHANV RURAL CEMETERY. 

some ihirtv iVct hisrh, surmounted hv a hionzc cau'lc. It 
bears the following inscriptions: 

Col John Mills 
Born January 25, 1782 
Killed at Sacketts Harbor, 
May 29, 18 1 3. 



Remains 

removed to Albany, 

1844 

Reinterred May 30, 1883. 



Albany Republican Artillery, 

Organized by Col John Mills, 

July 4, 1809. 



Erected by the State of New York, 
1883. 

( HLIAS P. HALE, Pres. 
Commissioners -' JOHN PALMER, 

/"HOFFMAN COVERT. S 



ec. 



Passing to the rear of a not vcrv si<;htl\' \'ault, antl keep- 
ing to the right, we leave the D. \V. Talcott lot (81 ) on 
the left; also the Wilson-Bronk and the Downing granites, 
the Ilo.xie marlde and the Lanih granite. ( )n the right is 
the Thomas granite shaft sunounded bv radiating graves 
and a hedge of arbor vita. 

The corner lot to the left as we turn to the right, is that 
of Jeremiah Waterman (81 ), and there is buried his much 
beloved son, Charles F. Waterman, born October 23, 1854, 




The Mills Memorial. 



rilAUl KS I-. WATKkM.W. 200 

(lied May 29, 18S9. 'I'licic is no indiniiiiciil licrr, Uut in 

llii- liciuniful snhurh of Albany, iiannd aflcr ihc \clcian 

lioricultinisf, Louis Mcnand, stands a slonc cIki|m-I and 

parsonage uhidi will kccj) ("liailcs I'. W'alcrman in lovin</ 

iL-nicnil)iantc so king as llic\- shall stand. 'I'lic cliain-l, in 

particular, owes its existence lo him, aiid his funeral, ihc 

fnst reliLcious ser\'ice held wilhin its walls, was ff)llowed by 

the s(jlemn dedication of the chapel while his body lay there. 

Again to the riyht brinirs us to the Newconib-( dcveland 

granite shaft surrounded with granite pf;sts (<So). The 

Lochner lot (79) contains soinelhing different from an\'- 

thing else on the grounds: an oblong structure of uncut 

granite, rf)(;fed with a |)olished slab on top of which are 

two urns. 

The large and beautiful block of variegated granite, 
highly polished, is on the lot of John I). Parsons fSo). 
We now turn to the left, b\ the Koonz cottage monu- 
ment {yj). In the lot enclosed with a hedge is the grave 
of S. II. II. Parsons, who died in 18S1. lie was for mam- 
years pension agent. 

The red sandstone cross is for the VVesterlo familv, but 
erected to Rensselaer Westerlo (jy), who died April 18, 
1 85 1, aged 74. On the right (y6), is a marble shaft to 
Weare C. Little, a law-book jjublisher of renown through- 
out the country, who died kebruary 20, 1885. The Parr 
marble monument is passed, the IJakcr lot without a monu- 
ment, the Cramer granite, the Morgan shaft, the James 
Ten Eyck cro.ss of granite. On the left, the John and 
Anthony Gould lot (jj) with marljle sarcophagus and 

26 



2IO THE Air.AXV RL'RAI. rEMKTEKV. 

c.iskct, and hiriic nionuniL'nt surroumk'd by many u'raves. 

On the l)i(i\v of the hill (76) arr the Mesick marble 
shaft, the lliiam Perrv santlslone ( 76 ), and to the right, 
a marble monument on whieh is inseribetl, "the first inter- 
ment and the lirst monument in the Cemetery." It was 
ereeted li\' Josejih Strain, whose name is u])on it. The 
lirst interment was that of Da\'id Strain who died in May, 
1845, aged 2 1. 

On Landseape hill (76) is the gra\e of William Hailes, 
an inventt)r and mechanie, who died in 1892, after over 
fortv vears residenee in Alban\-, devoted largely to pattern- 
making, bronze easting, etc. The tablets on the soldiers' 
monument and the bi-centenial tablets were his work. 

Going a little wav north, we pursue the Tour down the hill. 
Peter Kinnear has a lot here, but no monument; the 
Gilmour lot is passed, and we see two monuments, one on 
each sitk- of the way, each to a Fisher, but no relation to 
each other. 

Now we come to the \'isscher famih' vault (76) erected 
in 1892, by James Gazeley, from designs by Fuller & 
Wheeler. It replaces an old \ault built in 1 862, and is one 
of the most substantial structures in the Cemetery. 

The DuBois granite is on the point around which we 
pass. We note the B. F. Cobb vault and the Jacol) Sager 
structure of the same kind. Near bv is buried Dr. Edward 
P. \Vaterburv, at the time of his death in 1889, principal 
of th.e State Normal school, the new building for which he 
was largely instrumental in obtaining. Tt) the left we 
pass the lot of Peter A. Rogers, the R. W. Thacher and 



TllK WINSl.iiW CHAPEL. 213 

the W. H. Monroe uranite, the Douw F. Lansing granite. 

This is Sunrise avenue. Ilere are the tombs of the 
\Vm. M. Bender faniih' and of the Townsend family. To 
the right, the more notable monuments are the granite 
sarcophagus to C. H. Sprague, the mari)le shaft with 
medallion, to lohn 1). \"an Schaick, the Andrew \'osburgh 
and Richard Doring, the Nelson, and the granite shaft to 
Abraham Lansingiof West Troy). Here is the gate-keeper's 
lodge. The Re.xford granite, the Getman marble, the 
McEwen-Crounse granite sarcojihagus, the S. G. Rice 
mariile are noted. 

The Winslow memorial chapel is one of the most costly 
structures on the grounds (71 i. It is apiiroached by ter- 
races, and is most beautifullv situated. It was erected in 
1864 bv J. F. Winslow, of Poughkeepsie, and contains 
fortv-eight crvpts. 

Keeping to the right up thehill will befountl the tiremen's 
monument of granite erected in 1872, b\ I). D. Tompkins 
engine company No. 8. A fireman's hat, speaking trumpet 
and other appropriate emblems are carved upon it. Other 
objects of special interest are the Battersby monument 
with the ficjure of an anoel carrvino- in her arms a female 
figure to the skies; the Bailie-Bush massive marble; near 
the ravine (65) the headstone on the Andrew R. Hunter 
lot to Lizzie M. Calhoun, a bright and promising member 
of the High school, who. May 31. 1877. jumped from a 
carriage attached to a runaway team of horses and was 
killed in sight of the spot where she is buried. 

The loftv shaft surrounded bv a hedge is upon the lot of 



2 14 T!IK Al.r.AW RURAL CEMETKRV. 

.lames B. Jcrmain ((35), a Iruslci- and tlic \icc-])rL-sitlcnt 
of iIk* ("cnictcrw and benefactor of man\' a humane and 
Christian enterprise', inehuhnLi' ihc ^ Ounu" Men's ("hiistian 
Association of AlhanN', lor wliich he erected its beautiful 
buildino'. 

Our lon<r journey is ncarlv done. As we pass alonti" the 
Tour we notice the receixing" vaults, which are nuich used 
in winter. The first receiving vault was built in 1849 'l^' 
.lohn Hillhouse, at a cost of $743. In 1S5S a new vault, 
designed bv W'oolett, was ordered and built bv .lohn 
Bridgford, for $5,358, and in 1883 ;^nothei- was completed. 



Mention should have been made, in its proper place, of 
the grave of Nicholas Hill, which is on the lot of his 
daughter, Mrs. Marv A. Noyes, section 26, on Laurel hill, 
north of Cvpress water. Nicholas llill, who died May i, 
1859, in his 54th \ear. was uniiuestionablv one of the great 
lawvers of the state. Unlike man\- members of the legal 
profession, he hatl no taste for politics, but devoted him- 
self assiduously to the study and practice of the law. b\jr 
five vears he was the state law reporter, afterwartls becom- 
inp' a member of the great legal lirni of which Peter 
CaiTirer antl lohn iv. Porter were the other components. 
No name in the histor\- of the bar of Albanv is spoken 
with hiiiher respect than that of Nicholas Hill. 



BOOKS ABOUT THE CEMETERY. 215 

BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Tlie l)il)lioorai)hy of the All>anv Rural C'cmctciy is very 
brief : 

In 1846 there was pulilished a pamphlet of 64 passes, 
containine an account of the consecration exercises, the 
rules and regulations, the charter, and a list of the lot 
owners to January, i S46, the total number of lots being 6 1 6. 

In 1859, Churchill's Guide through the Albany Rural 
Cemetery, appeared, with thirtv-six wood-cuts and an 
engraved plan of the grounds. It was published bv Ilenrv 
W. Churchill. 

In 1 87 1 Edward Fitzgerald, of West Trov. published a 
Hand Book for the Albany Rural Cemeterv, with an ap- 
pendix on Emblems. It contains 141 pages and several 
lithographs. Mr. I'itzgerald was at one time a bookkeeper 
at the Cemetery and afterward cit\' editcjr of the Albany 
Evening Times. He died March 7. 1878. 

A Catalogue of Proprietors, with number and location of 
their lots, to Januarv i, 1892, with map, is s(jld for twentv- 
five cents. 

The laws relating to the Cemeterv have been comjiiled 

bv the secretarv, Robert Lenox Banks. 




^ 



— " Oft had I mused 
Of calm, and peace, and deep forgetfulness, 
Of folded hands, closed eyes, and heart at rest, 
And slumber sound beneath a flowery turf. 
Of faults forgotten, and an inner place 
Kept sacred for us in the heart of friends." 

— Lowell. 



■ AVith thy rude plow-share. Death, turn up the sod. 
And spread the furrow for the seed we sow ; 
This is the field and Acre of our God, 
This is the place where human harvests grow." 

— l.ongfclloiv. 



^ 



INDEX. 



A BLETT, JAJIESW., 
•'» Adams, 
Aiken, Ebenezer C, 
Ainsworth, Ira W,, 
Akin, John H.. 
Alden, Sidney, 
Alden, Mrs. Maria Weed, 
Allen, H. W., 
Allen, Otis, 
Allen, Mary Ann, 
Ah'ord, Mary E., 
Amsdell, George I., 
Amsdell, Theodore M., 
Ames, Angelo, 
Ames, Ezra, 
Anderson, Grace, 
Annesley, Lawson, 
Appleton, William. 
Angel of the Sepulchre, 
Armsby, Dr. James H., 
Armsby, Anna L. , 
Arthur, Chester A., 
Arnold-Avery, 
Auer, Christian, 
Austin, J. J., 
Austin, Jeremiah, 
Avery-Arnold, 

BACON, SAMUEL N., 
Bailie-Bush, 
Baker, Ellis, 
Baker, Samuel W., 
Ball, Dayton, 
Bancroft, John and Joseph 
Bancroft, LeGrand, 
Bancroft, Royal, 
Banks, Robert Lenox, 
Barnard, D. D., 
Barnard, Fred. J., 
Barnes, William, 
Battersby, John, 
Bay, Dr. William, 
Bay, Dr. John W., 
Bayeux, Capt. Thomas, 
Beckett, Matilda, 
Belknap, 
Belser, Joseph, 
Bender family. 
Bender, William M,, 
Benedict, Lewis, 



Section 


Page 


s? 


202 


17 


15S 


44 


151 


S 


105 


27 


144 


15 


153 


109 


140 


ss 


179 


61 


1S7 


73 


203 


74 


205 


21 


154 


21 


154 


59 


iSt) 


59 


189 


64 


200 


5S 


192 


19 


166 


31 


125 


12 


104 


9 


104 


24 


1=;^ 


36 


!l6 


S5 


202 


21 


154 


21 


154 


36 


116 


20 


156 


65 


213 


5 


98 


76 


209 


38 


107 


1, 74 


205 


33 


"5 


28 


133 


31 


125 


56 


179 


12 


105 


lOq 


140 


ft 5 


213 


15 


159 


40 


149 


16 


159 


96 


200 


27 


144 


Si 


202 


56 


I So 


70 


213 


3 


95 



Benedict, Ezra G. , 
Bew, Lancelot, 
Bigelow, John M,, 
Bissikummer, 
Black, John, 
Bleecker, Harmanus, 
Bleecker, W. E., 
Bleecker, G. V. S., 
Blunn, Thomas and James 
Bogart, 

Bonnev, Mrs. S. W., 
Bouhvare, Dr. J. R., 
Bovd, John 1. and Peter, 
Bo'vd, Robert, 
Boyd, David L, 
Bradt, Emeline L., 
Brainard, Edwin D., 
Brayton family, 
Bririgens, grave of, 
Bridgford, John, 
Brinckerhoff vault, 
Bronk and others. 
Brown, Reed L., 
Brown, Daniel, 
Br van, Col. M. K., 
Bull. M. V. B., 
Bullions, Dr. Peter, 
Burbank, 
Burch, Albert W.. 
Burden, Henry, 
Burgess, George H., 
Burhans, Lana, 
Burt, Charles A. 
Burton, Charles E., 
Bush, Walter R., 
Bush-Bailie, 

/^ALHOUX, LIZZIE M 
V^ Calverley, Charles, 
Cameron, Truman D., 
Campbell, Daniel, 
Campbell, Duncan, 
Campbell, Rev. John N., 
Campbell, George, 
Cartwright, Mrs. Marian, 
Carroll, lioward. 
Center, Mrs. Martha, 
Chapin, Lyman, 
Chapman, Isaac A., 
Charles, D. D. T., 



Section 


Page 


37 


107 


89 


200 


12 


15S 


Sf) 


202 


5f> 


I So 


3 


97 


S 


105 


3 


92 


, 51 


172 


41 


1 48 


56 


iSi 


30 


132 


51 


171 


52 


172 


35 


112 


2O 


150 


28 


133 


92 


200 


tS 


165 


87 


202 


iS 


166 


Si 


208 


74 


206 


5 


95 


43 


146 


36 


116 


16 


159 


92 


200 


73 


203 


61 


1S2 


lOI 


151 


15 


159 


74 


206 


61 


187 


28 


143 


65 


213 


., f'5 


213 


107 


145 


74 


205 


18 


157 


IS 


157 


4t 


147 


85 


202 


85 


202 


33 


132 


32 


116 


73 


200 


32 


119 


34 


112 



27 



2l8 



INDEX. 



Chase, L. A., 15 

Chase, James and S. G., 3S 
CheeVer, C. R. and H. N., 32 

Church grounds. 41J 

Clapp, Reuel, 6 

Clark, Stephen. 62 

Clark, Rev. Rufns W,, 102 

Cleveland, So 

Cleveland, Frederick, loS 

Clute, John, 107 

Coats. Ambrose B., 32 

Cobb, James N., 52 

Cobb, Benjamin F., 70 

Cobee, L. J. and H. J., 59 

Cochran-Walter, 53 

Cole, John O. , 73 

Collins, Joseph, 84 

Collins, Jefferson, 21 

Converse, Franklin, 107 

Cook, John, 86 

Cooke, Capt. J., 14 

Cook, George C, 2(j 

Cooke, Gen. George, 95 
Cooper, Gen. John Tayler, 19 

Corninj;', Erastus, 31 

Coti'ell, Edgar, 11 

Courtney, Samuel G., 73 

Cowell, Thomas J., 20 

Co.x, Dr. James \\'., 32 

Craft, Charles G., 20 

Craig, James E., 27 

Cramer, Frederick, 107 

L ramer, (k'orgc W., 76 

Crannell, W. \V., 4 

Crook, Thomas P., 12 

Cruttenden, Robert G., iS 

Cushman, Paul, 30 

Cutler, M. L., 39 

Cuyler, John, 74 



D ALTON, WILLIAM, 
Darling, Rev. Henry, 
Davidson, 
Davis, John, 
Dawson, George, 
Dawson, George S., 
Dederick, P. K., vault, 
DeForest, Charles A., 
Delavan, ICdward C, 
Denipsey Brothers, 
Dennis. 

DeWitt, William H., 
DeWitt, R. v.. 
Dexter, George, 
Dickerman, John S., 
Dickev, Alexander, 



21 
30 
5 
51 
33 
33 
29 

3S 
53 
Id 

59 

4 

5(> 

"7 
21 

S() 



Pape 

159 
106 
116 

99 

182 

151 
209 
141 
145 
119 
172 
210 
iSS 

173 
203 
202 
153 
145 
202 

153 
144 
201 
165 
123 
103 
200 

154 
119 
160 
137 
145 
209 
100 
i=;8 
156 
107 
106 
20O 



154 
130 
100 

171 
131 
132 

13S 
1 06 
1 78 
ifio 
iSS 
95 
179 
158 

"54 





Section 


Page 


Dixon, A. K., 


81 


202 


Doring, Richard, 


86 


213 


Douglass, 


32 


119 


Douglass, Charles H., 


30 


132 


Douw, Volkert P., 


74 


206 


Douw, J. D. P. vault. 


s- 


171 


Downing, George, 


Si 


208 


Doyle, Charles F., 


S5 


202 


Draper, Svlvester B., 


62 


182 


DuBois, Charles B., 


70 


210 


Dudley, Blandina, 


6i 


185 


Dudley, Charles E., 


61 


185 


Dunham, A. T., 


55 


179 


Dunlop, Robert, 


9 


103 


Durant, Clark and W. C, 


5 


lOI 


Dwight, Harvey A., 


S5 


202 


Dyer, Rev. David, 


3 


99 


Dyer, Joseph and A., 


88 


202 


CASTMAN, ANNA, 
C Ebel. John, 


8, 


202 


86 


202 


Edwards, Carlton, 


55 


179 


Edwards, Isaac, 


15 


158 


Edson, C. and F., 


16 


153 


Egberts, Egbert, 


58 


188 


Eggers, 


S4 


202 


Eights, Abraham, 


^ — 


172 


Eldred, Alonzo H., 


85 


202 


Elmendorf, John, 


21 


154 


Emerson, James B., 


16 


159 


Emmet, Joseph K., 


109 


139 


Ewing, 


74 


206 


CARNSWORTH,JN(). ( 
r Fassett, William N., 


■ 4- 


146 


55 


196 


Fearev, 


107 


145 


Feath'erlev, 


94 


201 


Feltman. J. C. and W. P., 


20 


154 


Finch-Silliman, 


59 


188 


Fish, -Jirtemas, 


5 


100 


Fish, Samuel M.. 


5 


100 


Fisher, Joseph, 


7(1 


210 


Fisher, Henrietta, 


74 


206 


Fitch-Salisbury. 


59 


189 


F'ondev, Isaac iV Townsend, 61 


185 


Ford, John W., 


54 


179 


Fort, Peter V., 


28 


133 


Fowler, Dr. Amos, 


41 


148 


Fowler, Rev. Philemon H 


■ 54 


178 


Fowler, William, 


54 


178 


Eraser, George B., 


5S 


189 


Fraser-Cook, 


42 


146 


Frisbv, Edward. 


20 


160 


Frost', lohn R., 


21 


153 


Fullgniff, William. 


86 


202 



INDKX. 



2 19 



r^AC.K. WILLIAM T.. 
'^ Cullien. Bi;iex' M., 
(lalpin, Henry M., 
(Janst'voort, Henry S., 
(ninsevoort. Peter, 
(Jay, John, 
Gazeley, James, 
(Jetman, 
Gibbons-Mather, 
(!ibl)s-Kowler, 
(jiffcird, John L. 
(Jillespie, Josiah, 
Gillespie, Theodore, 
Glen, Cornelius, 
Godard, Charles W., 
Godfrey, Nelson, 
Goodwin, Albert. 
Goold, James, 
(jould, John and William, 
(iranger, William, 
Gray, Alexander and W'm 
(iray, Adam Russ, 
Gray, James A., 
Green, Edward, 
(ireer, Alexander, 
Gregory, Rev. Osear H., 
(Jregory, Daniel H. 
Gregory, George Stnart, 
Griswold, Arsenoe, 
Grulib, Edward Bnrd, 



HAILES, WILLIAM, 
Hall, Ozias, 
Hallenbeck, 
Hallenbeck, MathewL, 
Hamilton, Catherine, 
Hamilton, Samuel, 
Hamilton, Daniel, 
Hand, Samuel, 
Harris, Ira and Hamilton, 
Hascy, Oscar L., 
Hastings, Hugh J., 
Haswell-Lansing, 
Hatcher, 

Hawkins, Horace D., 
Hawley, Gideon, 
Hendrickson, 
Henry, Jacob, 
Henry family, 
Henderson, 
Herrick, Avery, 
Herring, Thomas H., 
Herrington, Hiram, 
Hetrick, Michael, 
Hill, John J,, 
Hillhouse, John & Thomas 



Si'i-li.i 

2(1 

107 

i.s 

55 
55 
88 

-? 
(„, 
28 
51J 
74 
15 
72 
94 

4 
2S 
iS 

^s 

77 
S(i 

. 52 
40 
18 

sf- 

3') 

58 
109 

HH) 
2(> 
41 

7f' 
61 

73 

5 

5 
15 
52 
1 1 
18 
28 
40 

5y 
74 
15 

9 
12 
18 
19 

9 
3S 
'•) 

4 
8g 



ISO 
■45 
154 
Icj2 
i(;2 
202 

94 
213 

■33 

1S8 

20fl 

'59 
205 
201 
94 
■33 
■57 
188 
209 
202 
■72 
■52 
■57 
180 
loO 
1S9 
■38 
138 
150 
150 



210 
184 
202 
96 
100 

■59 
172 
162 
157 
133 
105 
iSy 
206 

159 
104 
105 
165 
165 
103 
107 
165 
100 
200 
158 
92 



Hills. J,,hn, 
Ilinckel, Frederick, 
Hinckel, Helena, 
Hinckley, Dr., 
Iloadley, John Cliipnian, 
Hitchcock, Andrew, 
Hitchcock, Capt, A. .M.. 
I lotTman, Benj.. 
Hogan, Gerrit, 
llolcomb, Abel, 
Holt, Jared, 
Horrocks, John, 
IIowe-Robinson, 
Howes, Amos, 
Iloxsie, Henry C. 
Hoyt, George B., 
nuni|)hrey. I'riend, 
I luniphrey-Newman. 
Ilun. Edward R., 
Ilurlbut, Judge, 
Hurst, Wdliam, 
llutchins, Ste])hen C, 

IRWIX, WILLIAM I'.. 



[ACKSON, SARAH. 

Jacobson, John. 

Jagger, Ira, 
James family. 
Jans, Anneke, 
Jermain, James B., 
Jeffers, Thomas C, 
Jewett, Dr. Rensselaer, 
Johnson, Robert L. , 
Jones, George L. , 
Jones-Xorthrni), 
Jones, James D., 
Judson, Edmund L.. 
Jupp, George S., 

KANE. JOHN L, 
Kelley, Charles W. 
Kennedy, Alexander, 
Ketchum. Daniel, 
Keyes, 

Kibbee, Austin S., 
Kidd, James, 
Kimberly, Henry, 
King, Henry, 
King, Henry L.. 
King, Rufus H. 
Kingsley, Hale, 
Kinnear, Peter, 
Kip, Leonard, 
Kirchner, 



S4 
89 
27 

40 
58 
59 
50 
2f. 
93 
58 
42 
12 
5 

,S| 

■ 07 
3 
() 
If) 
27 
54 
42 



>lt I'ntii' 
202 
200 

■37 
200 

■48 
189 
189 
172 
■44 
200 
1 88 
202 
105 
100 
208 
145 
97 
99 
158 
137 
■79 
■47 

■ 50 



74 


20fl 


27 


■44 


5 


lOI 


lO 


158 


61 


185 


<>s 


214 


34 


1 12 


28 


■ 33 


25 


■51 


59 


I8g 


37 


107 


21 


■54 


35 


1 1 1 


92 


200 


5 


99 


32 


ri6 


95 


201 


32 


II() 


75 


202 


30 


133 


12 


105 


58 


191 


18 


156 


32 


"5 


32 


"5 


16 


159 


76 


210 


56 


180 


89 


200 



220 



INDEX. 



Knovver, Benjamin, 
Knowlton, 
Koonz, Abraham, 



I A GRANGE. STEPH' 
L"' Lamb, James, 
Lansing, Andrew Dcuuv 
Lansing, Abraham. 
Lansing, Abraham, 
Larrabee, Edward J., 
Lathrop, Ralph P., 
Lathrop, Dyer. 
Lathrop, Daniel S., 
Lathrop, Robert Dunlop, 
Laut, John P., 
Lawrence, George H.. 
Lawson, Isaac, 
Learned, Edward, 
Learned, Billings P., 
Learned, William L. , 
LeFevre, Isaac, 
Leonard, Jacob, 
LeRoy, Amelia, 
Lewis, Ralph P., 
Liscomb, Orlando P., 
Little,. Weare C. , 
Littlejohn, 
Livingston, Hiram, 
Lloyd, Samuel H., 
Lloyd. Lyman J., 
Llovd, Thomas Spencer, 
LloVd, Mrs. A. C, 
Lobdell, 
Lochner, 
Long and Silsby, 
Long, Carrie, 
Lord, 

Low, Addison, 
Luby, John A., 
Luke, Philip, 
Luther, George W., 

MANNIN(;, DANIEL, 
Manson, William, 
March, Dr. Alden, 
Marcy, William L., 
Martin, Henrv H., 
Martin, Dr. David, 
Marvin, Alexander, 
Masonic burial plat, 
Mather, John Cotton, 
Mather, Joseph, 
Mather, Heman, 
Matthews, Andrew, 
May, E. D., 



Section 


Page 


62 


190 


21 


153 


77 


209 


N. 43 


146 


Si 


208 


5f> 


192 


34 


115 


68 


213 


32 


119 


39 


106 


II 


161 


29 


124 


9 


103 


107 


145 


59 


189 


Sb 


igi 


3 


93 


1 1 


162 


42 


147 


27 


137 


43 


146 


S5 


202 


18 


154 


30 


131 


76 


2og 


53 


196 


33 


IIS 


18 


165 


52 


172 


39 


106 


12 


105 


5S 


189 


79 


2og 


16 


159 


74 


206 


34 


112 


56 


180 


95 


201 


27 


137 


102 


151 


27 


141 


16 


160 


52 


172 


62 


IS9 


45 


170 


59 


159 


54 


174 


2"' 


143 


54 


173 


28 


134 


58 


189 


26 


144 


15 


152 





Soolitm 


Page 


McBride family. 


25 


151 


McCammon, Charles, 


5 


97 


McClelland, John, 


75 


203 


McClure, Archibald, 


35 


I I I 


McClure, James H., 


3 


94 


McCoy, S. B.. vault. 


61 


184 


McCredie, Thomas, 


40 


150 


McDonald, Rev. John, 


9 


103 


McDowell. George H., 


107 


145 


McElroy, William, 


19 


162 


McEwan, John, 


69 


213 


McGarvey, Michael, 


27 


137 


McHarg, Alexander, 


73 


203 


Mcintosh, Caroline C, 


10 


181 


Mcintosh, Charles, 


62 


182 


Mclntyre, Archibald, 


9 


103 


McKown, James A., 


52 


172 


McMurdy, Isaac, 


21 


158 


McNaughton, Dr. Peter. 


5 


lOI 


McNaughton. Dr. James. 


9 


103 


McPherson. Marvand John, is 


153 


Mead. Melvin n:. 


52 


172 


Meech, Henry T., 


12 


105 


Meads, John, 


5'' 


179 


Mellick, James H., 


34 


112 


Melville, Allen, 


40 


149 


Meneely, Andrew, 


58 


189 


Mesick, Henry T., 


7(> 


210 


Miles, Rev. John, 


75 


203 


Mills, 


42 


146 


Mills, Geo. and Alexander 


30 


132 


Mills, Colonel John, 


73 


206 


Milwain, James, 


26 


144 


Minch, 


32 


116 


Mitchell, William, 


13 


105 


Mix family. 


lO 


159 


Monroe, William H., 


(>9 


213 


Monteath, George, 


5 


100 


Monteath, Peter, 


35 


112 


Moore-Packer, 


86 


202 


Morange, J. W., 


59 


188 


Morgan, John, 


7C> 


2og 


Morris, Lewis N., 




17S 


Morris, Lewis O., 


9 


102 


Morns, Capt. John A.. 


60 


184 


Morrow, James, 


8 


105 


Moseley, B. F., 


8 


105 


Mosher, Alfred, 


iS 


157 


Mosher, Dr. C. D., 


40 


148 


Mosher, Dr. J. S., 


37 


107 


Mounsey, 


59 


18S 


Mull, Mrs. Margaret, 


95 


201 


Munsell, Joel, 


4 


92 


Munson, Stephen, 


42 


146 


Munson, Samuel, L. , 


28 


138 


Murphy, E. W., 


107 


145 



l^ 



INDKX. 



22 I 



NKLSON, MARTHA S. 
Nelson, Rob't \: Alex. 
Newcomb, Edward, 
Newman, Henry, 
Newton, William, 
Newton, Isaac, 
Northrop Jones, 
Northrup, Joseph, 
Norton, John Pitkin, 
Nott, John C, 
Nuttall, John A., 

OLCOTT, THEODORE 
Olcott, Thomas \V. , 
Olcott, Thomas, 
Orr, William and David, 

PACKARD, GEO. W., 
I Packard, Edward G., 
Packard, Edward W., 
Packard, John Q. & E. W. 
Paddock, Stephen, 
Palmer, Rev. Ray, 
Palmer, Erastns D., 
Palmer, Luther M., 
Parker, Judge, 
Parker, John N., 
Parkhurst, John G., 
Parr, Richard, 
Parsons, L. Spra^ue, 
Parsons, S. H. H", 
Parsons, John D., 
Pasco, Ezra L., 
Patten, Moses, 
Patton, John, 
Pavne, Samuel N., 
Peekham, Rufus W., 
Perry, Eli, 
Perry, Hiram, 
Perry, Nathan B. , 
Pester, Mrs. William, 
Peltz, John DeWitt, 
Phelps, Alvah, 
Phelps, Philip, 
Phillips, John, 
Pilsbnrv, Amos, 
Pitkin, Wolcott H , 
Piatt, Jacob, 

Pohlmau, Rev. Henry N., 
Porter, Giles W:, 
Potts, Jesse C, 
Pratt, George W., 
Prentice, Ezra P., 
Pruyn, John V. L., 
Pruyn, Robert H., 
Purapelly-Brinckerhoff, 



Sectiou 


Pat-e 


, 6(j 


213 


33 


112 


6t 


185 


6 


99 


II 


162 


1 1 


161 


37 


107 


32 


116 


54 


177 


19 


165 


S5 


202 


. 55 


196 


53 


173 


54 


177 


ib 


iSi 


30 


132 


21 


153 


30 


132 


30 


132 


9 


102 


5S 


191 


34 


112 


32 


119 


54 


177 


73 


200 


107 


145 


77 


209 


II 


104 


76 


2og 


So 


209 


62 


182 


3 


92 


28 


138 


15 


160 


1 1 


162 


5 


99 


7<) 


210 


29 


119 


iS 


ifi6 


41 


147 


95 


201 


40 


148 


89 


200 


36 


107 


107 


144 


59 


189 


6 


99 


It) 


'59 


55 


196 


44 


152 


38 


106 


53 


196 


30 


124 


18 


166 



f^ UACKENBUSH, 
V<_Quackenbush, Col. H. 
Quayle, Matthew, 

RANCOUR, CHAS. E., 
Rathbone, Jared L., 
Rathbone, Joel, 
Rathbone, John F., 
Raymond, Benj. C, 
Raymond family, 
Reed, William W., 
Regan, Matilda, 
Rehlander, William, 
Reid, Wm. and John, 
Rexford, Mary L. , 
Reynolds, Marcus T., 
Rice, James C, 
Rice, Samuel G., 
Robe, John, 
Robbins, Philander, 
Robinson, Edward, 
Robinson, Rev. Rodman H. 
Roessle, Theophilus, 
Rogers, Peter A., 
Romeyn, Theodore P., 
Root, Lyman, 
Root vault, 
Roraback, 
Ross, William H., 
Rossman, John B., 
Roy, James, 
Roy, John F., 
Rudd, William T., 
Russell, Henry, 
Russell, Joseph, 
Russell, William, 

CABIN, Dr. ROBERT H. 
"-^ Sager, Jacob, 
Salisbury-Fitch, 
Sand, John H., 
Sanders, Barent, 
Sanders, James B., 
Sanford, George D., 
Sawyer, William, 
Satterlee, 
Saxe, Charles G. , 
Schantz, George, 
Schoolcraft, John L. , 
Schrodt, Michael, 
Schuyler family, 
Schuyler, Gen. Philip, 
Schuyler, Samuel, 
Schwartz, Rev. D. L., 
Scott-Boyd, 
Sessions, Charles E., 



Section 


Page 


52 


I-I 


., 9 


104 


92 


200 


73 


203 


3 


94 


3 


93 


60 


188 


54 


173 


85 


202 


32 


119 


26 


144 


107 


145 


8 


105 


69 


213 


17 


158 


42 


147 


67 


213 


103 


156 


62 


181 


16 


157 


,61 


187 


41 


147 


70 


210 


27 


144 


39 


106 


29 


138 


107 


145 


58 


192 


43 


146 


52 


172 


28 


137 


59 


189 


32 


116 


32 


119 


42 


146 


,27 


137 


70 


210 


59 


1 89 


32 


116 


54 


179 


29 


119 


18 


160 


86 


200 


62 


182 


30 


130 


81 


202 


5 


yS 


107 


146 


59 


189 


29 


119 


32 


119 


102 


150 


52 


172 


85 


202 



INDEX. 



SeveifiKi', Matlliias j., 
Seymour. Rcibeit M., 
Seymour, Rev. Truman, 
Shafer, John F., 
Shaw, P. H., 
Shear, Jaeob H.. 
Sliejiherd, Robert, 
Sill, Francis X., 
Silliman-Finch, 
SiUinian, Horace B., 
Silsby and Long, 
Simcox, James and Joseph 
Simons, Nathan E., 
Sisson, N. E., 
Slack, Fred., 
Slauson, 

Smith. Benjamin F.. 
Smith, Israel, 
Smith, William C, 
Snow, Horatio N., 
Soldiers' plat, 
Soulden, William, 
Southwick, Henry C, 
Spalding, Gilbert R., 
Spencer, Ambrose, 
Spencer, John C,, 
Sprague, Rev. William B. , 
Sprague, 

Springsteed, Edward A., 
St. Andrews Society, 
Stanford, Jane Eliza, 
Starks, Rev. H. L., 
Steele, Lemuel, 
Sternbergh, Jacob, 
Stevenson, James, 
Slimpson, A. E., 
St. John, A. P., 
Storrs, Eliza H., 
Story, Richard J., 
Strain, Joseph, 
Street, Alfred B., 
Strmger, Dr. Samuel, 
Strong, William N. 
Strong, Anthony M., 
Strong, Rev. Selah W. , 
Sturges, Sarah L., 
Sweet, Elnathan, 
Swinburne, Dr. John, 

XALCOTT, OLIVIA, 
1 Talcott, D. W., 
Taylor familv, 
Tebbutt, Mai-shall, 
Ten Eyck, Henry James, 
Ten Eyck-Bleecicer, 
Ten Eyck, Leonard G., 



1 1 


161 


iS 


160 


28 


138 


93 


200 


55 


196 


1 2 


105 


lol 


151 


5') 


1S8 


34 


1 12 


II) 


159 


- -1 


I 51 


1^ 


13S 


13 


>o5 


43 


'51 


107 


145 


59 


187 


55 


lyO 


O2 


1S2 


30 


137 


7^ 


203 


61 


187 


39 


106 


62 


181 


45 


169 


45 


i6g 


3 


94 




213 


62 


181 


26 


150 


iS 


166 


102 


151 


5 


97 


40 


148 


5f' 


179 


II 


103 


59 


188 


Sg 


200 


15 


153 


76 


210 


37 


no 


4'J 


149 


13 


152 


5 


98 


102 


151 


74 


206 


107 


145 


3" 


130 


42 


148 


Si 


208 


57 


181 


19 


165 


18 


157 


8 


105 


43 


150 



Ten Evck, James, 
Terrell, W. H.. 
Thacher, Ralph W., 
Thacher, George H , 
Thf)mas, Jeffrey 1'. , 
Thomas, Burton A, , 
Thomas, Rev. (!eo. C, 
Thomas, Mrs. Sarah A., 
Thompson, Dr. R. H., 
Thompson, Dr. Ale.x , 
Thomson, Lemon, 
Tibbetts, Bleecker, 
Tillinghast, 

Tompkins Cr>., DanielD. 
Towner, 
Townsends, 
Townsend vault. 
Tow.s. Francis H.. 
Tread well, Geo. C. 
Tread well, John G,, 
Tremain, Lyman, 
Tremain, Grenville, 
Trotter, 

Tucker, Luther, 
Tucker-Fort, 
Turner-E wing-Jack son, 



WAIL. SAMUEL, 
» Van Allen, Adam, 
Van Allen, Garret A., 
Van Alstyne, Thomas J 
Van Antwerp, 
Van Auken, Henry, 
Van Benthuysen. 
Van Benthuysen, Jane, 
Van Buren, Dr. John, 
Van Buren, JIartin and John 
Van Derpoel, Isaac, 
Vanderpoel, Dr. S. O , 
Van Derveer, Dr Albert, 
Van Dyck, H. H., 
Van Rensselaer, Stephen, 
Van Rensselaer, Richard, 
Van Rensselaer, Sol., 
Van Rensselaer, Peter. 
Van Rensselaer, Cortlaudt 
Van Santvoord, Alfred, 
Van Schaick, Jenkins, 
Van Valkenburgh, J. W., 
Van Vechten, Cnyler, 
Van Vechten, Abraham, 
Van Vranken, Adam T., 
Van A\'ormer, Jasper, 
Van Zandt, Charles, 
Vaughn Brothers, 
Viele, Rufus K., 



SCflinh 


T'ak-i' 


7^ 


209 


94 


201 


(K, 


210 


5& 


180 


38 


107 


3S 


107 


85 


202 


80 


20S 


53 


11)6 


-9 


1-4 


41 


149 


44 


152 


i() 


158 


95 


213 


32 


119 


45 


170 


70 


213 


3' 


130 


3 


94 


22 


154 


35 


III 


35 


III 


59 


188 


19 


161 


58 


189 


74 


206 


5S 


188 


18 


160 


122 


138 


28 


142 


16 


156 


85 


202 


5 


100 


85 


202 


5 


Q7 


1,62 


187 


62 


187 


9 


lOI 


30 


137 


40 


148 


14 


152 


56 


180 


56 


180 


32 


116 


. 40 


150 


9 


104 


42 


147 


30 


132 


41 


150 


36 


no 


V2 


154 


35 


112 


73 


206 


60 


184 


59 


189 



INDEX. 



223 



Viele, Maurice E., 
Visscher vault. 
Vosburgh, Isaac W. , 
Vosburgh, John, 
Vosburgh, Andrew, 
Vosburgh, Francis W.. 

WALTER, Rev. W. H. 
Wallace, Matthew, 
Wallen, Fred. J., 
Walsh. A. H., 
Ward, Dr. Samuel K.. 
Warren. Clement, 
Washburn, -Stephen F., 
Wasserbach, 
Was.son, James D., 
Waterbur)-, Edward P., 
Waterman, J., 
Waterman, Charles F., 
Watson, 

Watson, William. 
Way, Thomas P. . 
^^ efjer, Henrv, 
Weed. Thurlow. 
Weed, William G., 
Weidman, Daniel, 
Welch, Rev. B. T., 
Welch. Isaac L.. 
Wemple. Daniel W. 
Wendell, Peter and John 1, 
Wendell, Jacob 1., 
Wendell, Herman, 
Wendell, Nathan D., 



Section 

5 
40 

32 



. 53 
16 

107 
5(' 

9 

5y 

95 

5 
70 
81 
Si 

58 

74 
log 

16 

32 
3 

74 

32 
. 9 

S5 
9 

32 



Page 

125 

210 

95 
148 
213 
116 



173 
159 
201 
179 
138 
:o4 
189 
201 

lOI 

210 
208 
208 

153 
192 

154 
203 
140 

159 
Il6 
yO 
205 
116 
loi 
202 
loi 
116 



Westerlo, Rev. Rensselaer, 
Wharton, William A.. 
Whipple, Squire. 
White, Andrew and John (1. 
White, Hugh, 
White, Douglas L., 
Wiles, Thomas S., 
Williamson, James, 
Williamson, T. Austin. 
Wilson, Joseph B., 
Wilson, James A., 
Wilson, Geo. B., 
Wilson, James. 
Wilson, Capt. John, 
Wiltsie, James A., 
Wing, Albert, 
Winslow, John F., 
Witbeck, Peter, 
Witt, Stillman, 
Wolcott, Thomas V.. 
Wood. Bradford R., 
Woolev, W. T., 
Wooleit, William L., 
Woolverton, George A., 
Wooster, Benjamm W., 
Worden. Mrs. J. L., Jr., 
Worth, Gorham A., 
Wyckoff, 

YATES, HENRY, 
I Young, William C. 

7EISER, JOSEPH B., 
^ Zeller, Ernest, 



leetioii 


Page 


77 


209 


51 


171 


41 


146 


.55 


ig6 


35 


112 


34 


112 


9 


104 


42 


146 


75 


202 


58 


192 


31 


130 


81 


208 


35 


112 




1S5 


30 


132 


27 


137 


71 


2t3 


59 


188 


5 


99 


26 


146 


18 


165 


92 


200 


iS 


165 


15 


152 


24 


I5t 


15 


153 


60 


188 


8 


165 


62 


182 


55 


195 


22 


156 


93 


200 




M\ 



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